Newberg Graphic Online

Doors to H1N1 flu clinic open, then close

Public health— Clinic opens Wednesday and quickly exhausts vaccine before closing Friday morning

• By: Amanda Newman  
• Published: 11/6/2009 3:38:52 PM

    Two days after opening its first H1N1 (swine flu) vaccination clinic, Yamhill County Public Health announced today (Friday) that it is no longer making appointments.
    Targeted by the clinic were children ages 6 months to 5 years, pregnant women and those caring for or living with children under 6 months old. Individuals in the other priority groups — which include people through age 23 and adults with underlying health conditions (particularly asthma, heart disease and HIV) — were not eligible to receive the vaccine through Public Health this time around.
    Students at most public schools in the county are also beginning to be inoculated (day cares and small private schools have already been targeted).
    After school, some public schools will offer the vaccine to pregnant women and children not enrolled elsewhere (including home-schooled and pre-school children). Contact local schools for more information.
    The Oregon Department of Human Services announced Tuesday that another shipment of vaccine was set to arrive in Oregon by Friday, expected to bring the total amount received by the state to about 327,700 doses — enough to vaccinate 16.7 percent of those in the priority groups. Oregon has currently received enough for about 6 percent of the priority groups.
    At press time, it was not yet known if that shipment had arrived and if so, in what quantity or how that could affect the vaccination clinic. A Public Health press release said those in the priority groups should check in Thursday or Friday, by calling 503-554-7842 and asking to be transferred to the information line, to see if more vaccine has become available.
    The county has also exhausted its supply of vaccines for seasonal flu and is not sure if it will receive additional supplies. For more information on flu in Oregon, visit www.flu.oregon.gov or call 1-800-978-3040.

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