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County gets first shipment of H1N1 flu vaccine
By KEN MURCHISON | Spring Hope Enterprise
Nash County has received its first shipment of H1N1 flu vaccine.
The county received just 500 doses of FluMist, a nasal spray, last week, but more is expected to arrive soon.
“We expect to receive shipments of H1N1 vaccine each week and we expect to get plenty to vaccinate all who wish to receive the vaccine,” county Health Education Supervisor Karen Ramsey said.
“We expect that the next shipments will be injectable vaccine and as we receive these shipments we will schedule more days to vaccinate our residents.”
The county started vaccinating health care workers, emergency management personnel, and first responders this week.
The FluMist vaccine will be available to county residents at the Nashville office, 214 S. Barnes St., on Thursday from 9 a.m. until noon and on Monday from 2-6 p.m.
Residents eligible to receive the vaccine include those between two and 24 years old who have no high risk conditions such as diabetes and asthma.
Also eligible are residents under age 50 who are household contacts or caretakers of infants less than six months old, and health care workers who have face-to-face patient contact.
“Once we begin to receive injectable vaccine, pregnant women and residents 25-64 with high risk conditions may come for vaccination,” Ramsey said.
It is not known how much of the vaccine the county will receive each week, but state officials believe each county will get as much as it needs.
“We do not expect there will be a shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine,” N.C. Health Director Jeffrey Engel said in a news release.
Health officials are encouraging residents to get vaccinated for both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu.
There is no cost for either the FluMist or injectable form of H1N1 vaccine as the federal government covers those costs. Seasonal flu shots will cost $32. The shots are free for those residents who have Medicare Part B.
Those residents must have their Medicare card when they go to get the shots.
County residents can get seasonal flu and pneumonia vaccinations on Fridays at the Health Department office in Nashville from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. and in the Health Department office in Rocky Mount from 1-4 p.m.
Ramsey advised residents to call 459-9819 to set up a vaccination appointment.
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