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Swine flu vaccine arrives in Marion
Public clinics will vaccinate residents in targeted groups.
By Jackie Alexander
Staff writer
Published: Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 12:45 a.m.
The first shipment of H1N1 vaccines has arrived in Marion County, according to the Health Department.
H1N1 clinic dates
The voluntary swine flu vaccinations are recommended for people ages 6 months to 24 and adults in special target groups: pregnant women, health care workers, infant caregivers and adults with special medical conditions such as diabetes.
Oct. 27: Dunnellon Elementary, 10235 S.W. 180th Ave. Road, 5-8 p.m.
Oct. 29: Belleview High, 10400 S.E. 36th Ave., 5-8 p.m.
Oct. 31: Forest High, 5000 S.E. Maricamp Road, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nov. 3: Lake Weir High, 10351 S.E. Maricamp Road, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 5: North Marion High, 151 N.W. CR 329, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 7: Vanguard High, 7 N.W. 28th St., 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nov. 10: West Port High, 3733 S.W. 80th Ave., 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 12: Belleview High, 10400 S.E. 36th Ave., 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 14: Lake Weir High, 10351 Maricamp, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nov. 17: Forest High, 5000 S.E. Maricamp Road, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 19: Lake Weir High, 10351 Maricamp Road, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 21: North Marion High, 151 N.W. CR 329, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
More dates will be announced if there is a need.
Amy Velez, a senior management analyst at the Health Department, said more than 2,100 doses were delivered Wednesday morning for both public clinics and other health care providers.
About 1,000 doses are the FluMist vaccine, which is recommended for healthy people ages 2 to 49. Another 1,100 single-dose vaccine injections were received.
The health department receives the vaccines for health care providers - including doctors, nursing homes and pharmacies - that ordered fewer than 100 doses. Providers that order more than 100 have their orders shipped directly to the practice.
More than 50 health care providers in the county have registered to administer the vaccine, Velez said.
On Oct. 27, a Tuesday, 25 registered nurses and 125 staff members will be at Dunnellon Elementary School from 5-8 p.m. for the first public vaccination clinic.
The first shipment marks the beginning of a collaborative effort between government agencies and volunteer groups to vaccinate about 145,000 people identified in the target groups. Clinics have been set up stretching into the next year to help make sure those people, as well as the general public, are inoculated. According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost 6 million doses have been ordered by states.
The vaccine will be ordered and shipped in varying quantities weekly until January, Velez said.
The public clinics will only be open to people in the five target groups, Velez said. The groups include:
Health care and emergency medical services personnel
Pregnant women
Parents and caregivers of children under 6 months old
Those ages 6 months to 24 years
Those 25 to 65 years old with chronic medical problems.
Children under 10 will need two doses about four weeks apart.
Getting vaccinated at a public clinic will be free. Other health care providers are allowed to charge a fee for administering the vaccine only, Velez said. That's because the federal government has provided the actual vaccine for free.
The health department encourages people to go to the school nearest to where they live.
Dr. Nathan Grossman, director of the health department, said the clinics are spaced out to maximize the likelihood that there will be enough vaccine at each clinic.
Marion County Sheriff's Office logistics team members and deputies will transfer the vaccines from the Sheriff's Office to each site, said David Palmer, deputy director of the emergency management division.
Health care providers and the health department's primary care and pregnant patients will receive the vaccine in closed clinics next week.
"The health care providers, if they're sick and they can't come to work, they can't help people," Velez said.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20091015/ARTICLES/910151008/1402/NEWS?Title=Swine-flu-vaccine-arrives-in-Marion
Public clinics will vaccinate residents in targeted groups.
By Jackie Alexander
Staff writer
Published: Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 12:45 a.m.
The first shipment of H1N1 vaccines has arrived in Marion County, according to the Health Department.
H1N1 clinic dates
The voluntary swine flu vaccinations are recommended for people ages 6 months to 24 and adults in special target groups: pregnant women, health care workers, infant caregivers and adults with special medical conditions such as diabetes.
Oct. 27: Dunnellon Elementary, 10235 S.W. 180th Ave. Road, 5-8 p.m.
Oct. 29: Belleview High, 10400 S.E. 36th Ave., 5-8 p.m.
Oct. 31: Forest High, 5000 S.E. Maricamp Road, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nov. 3: Lake Weir High, 10351 S.E. Maricamp Road, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 5: North Marion High, 151 N.W. CR 329, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 7: Vanguard High, 7 N.W. 28th St., 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nov. 10: West Port High, 3733 S.W. 80th Ave., 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 12: Belleview High, 10400 S.E. 36th Ave., 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 14: Lake Weir High, 10351 Maricamp, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nov. 17: Forest High, 5000 S.E. Maricamp Road, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 19: Lake Weir High, 10351 Maricamp Road, 5-8 p.m.
Nov. 21: North Marion High, 151 N.W. CR 329, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
More dates will be announced if there is a need.
Amy Velez, a senior management analyst at the Health Department, said more than 2,100 doses were delivered Wednesday morning for both public clinics and other health care providers.
About 1,000 doses are the FluMist vaccine, which is recommended for healthy people ages 2 to 49. Another 1,100 single-dose vaccine injections were received.
The health department receives the vaccines for health care providers - including doctors, nursing homes and pharmacies - that ordered fewer than 100 doses. Providers that order more than 100 have their orders shipped directly to the practice.
More than 50 health care providers in the county have registered to administer the vaccine, Velez said.
On Oct. 27, a Tuesday, 25 registered nurses and 125 staff members will be at Dunnellon Elementary School from 5-8 p.m. for the first public vaccination clinic.
The first shipment marks the beginning of a collaborative effort between government agencies and volunteer groups to vaccinate about 145,000 people identified in the target groups. Clinics have been set up stretching into the next year to help make sure those people, as well as the general public, are inoculated. According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost 6 million doses have been ordered by states.
The vaccine will be ordered and shipped in varying quantities weekly until January, Velez said.
The public clinics will only be open to people in the five target groups, Velez said. The groups include:
Health care and emergency medical services personnel
Pregnant women
Parents and caregivers of children under 6 months old
Those ages 6 months to 24 years
Those 25 to 65 years old with chronic medical problems.
Children under 10 will need two doses about four weeks apart.
Getting vaccinated at a public clinic will be free. Other health care providers are allowed to charge a fee for administering the vaccine only, Velez said. That's because the federal government has provided the actual vaccine for free.
The health department encourages people to go to the school nearest to where they live.
Dr. Nathan Grossman, director of the health department, said the clinics are spaced out to maximize the likelihood that there will be enough vaccine at each clinic.
Marion County Sheriff's Office logistics team members and deputies will transfer the vaccines from the Sheriff's Office to each site, said David Palmer, deputy director of the emergency management division.
Health care providers and the health department's primary care and pregnant patients will receive the vaccine in closed clinics next week.
"The health care providers, if they're sick and they can't come to work, they can't help people," Velez said.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20091015/ARTICLES/910151008/1402/NEWS?Title=Swine-flu-vaccine-arrives-in-Marion