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Health Department Announces H1N1 Vaccination Clinics

September 06, 2010

(CLINTON, IL) – The DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department announced today that they are working closely with local school districts in both DeWitt and Piatt Counties, as well as planning office clinics, to provide H1N1 vaccination to local residents. 

“We believe that vaccinating school children will provide the best protection to our communities overall”, said David Remmert, Administrator for the Health Department.  The CDC has announced that those priority target groups to receive the vaccine include pregnant women, caregivers of infants younger than 6 months of age, first responder emergency personnel including healthcare workers, those aged 6 months through 24 years old, and those age 25 through 64 with a chronic illness (such as asthma, diabetes, or disease of the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and other immunocompromised individuals).  The Health Department will be providing H1N1 vaccinations to these priority groups in special clinics held in each of their offices.  The H1N1 flu clinics will be free of charge to ensure the greatest protection to local residents.  Although the vaccination is not required, residents within the target audiences are encouraged to get vaccinated.  Information about these vaccines, available in both nasal and injectible forms, and immunization consent forms for these immunization clinics are available at the Health Department’s website located at www.dewittpiatthealth.com.

Although cases of H1N1 have been confirmed in both DeWitt and Piatt Counties, most physicians are no longer testing for the illness.  “There is a good likelihood that those with respiratory illness in the presence of a fever have this H1N1 flu, but thus far the cases seem to be more moderate, similar to the regular seasonal flu”, said Remmert.  Concern over the H1N1 seems to center on the fact that it was likely this strain of the flu that was responsible for the 1918 flu epidemic, one of the largest and deadliest epidemics the US has seen – infecting 28% of the population and responsible for close to one million deaths in the US and 50 million deaths worldwide.

CDC expects that any side effects following vaccination with the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine would be rare. If side effects occur, they will likely be similar to those experienced following seasonal influenza vaccine. Mild problems that may be experienced include soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given, fainting (mainly adolescents), headache, muscle aches, fever, and nausea. If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days. Life-threatening allergic reactions to vaccines are especially rare. If they do occur, it is usually within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot is given.

The flu is an infection of the respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus. Compared with most viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, influenza infection often causes a more severe illness. Typical influenza illness includes fever (usually 100 degrees F to 103 degrees F in adults and often even higher in children) and respiratory symptoms, such as cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, as well as headache, muscle aches and extreme fatigue. Although nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can sometimes accompany influenza infection, especially in children, these symptoms are rarely the primary symptoms. The term "stomach flu" is a misnomer that is sometimes used to describe gastrointestinal illnesses caused by organisms other than influenza viruses.

H1N1 Vaccination Clinics – DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Dept. offices

DeWitt County – BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

910 Rte. 54 East, Clinton, IL 61727

Date                             Time                                         Target

·        10/27                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      Pregnant women, healthcare providers,

Children 6 months – 5 years, caregivers of infants < 6 months

·        10/30                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      Same as above

·        11/6                       8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        11/13                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        11/17                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        11/24                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/1                       8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/4                       8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/8                       8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/11                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/15                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/22                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/29                     8:30 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

 

Piatt County – WALK IN

1020 S. Market St.

Monticello, IL 61856

·        10/28                     8:00 a. to 11:00 a.                    Pregnant women, healthcare providers,

Children 6 months – 5 years, caregivers of infants < 6 months

·        11/2                       8:00 a. to 3:30 p.                      Same as above

·        11/6                       8:00 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        11/9                       8:00 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        11/23                     8:00 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        11/25                     8:00 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/18                     8:00 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/21                     8:00 a. to 3:30 p.                      All PRIORITY Groups

·        12/23                     8:00 a. to 11:00 a.                    All PRIORITY Groups.

 

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