Adults will be the focus of an upcoming seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccination clinic held by the Cayuga County Department of Health.
After vaccinating more than 2,700 school-age children through a sweep of school H1N1 clinics, the county health department on Monday, Dec. 7 will hold a free seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccination clinic for adults. The seasonal vaccine can be received by any adult 18 or older, but the H1N1 vaccine will be reserved for priority groups.
“We feel very comfortable with our H1N1 supply at the moment,” said Kathleen Cuddy, deputy director of health services for the county. The county has about 2,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine to distribute, she said.
Priority groups for the H1N1 vaccine include parents and caregivers of infants younger than 6 months, pregnant women, health care and emergency medical services personnel, and adults 18 to 64 who have a chronic medical condition. Pregnant women must bring a doctor's note to verify it is safe for them to receive the vaccine.
This is the first county clinic for which adults with a chronic medical condition will be considered a priority group, a sign that the vaccine is slowly becoming more available, Cuddy said.
The county held H1N1 clinics specifically for children and school district staff who were part of a priority group at all of the county's school districts between Nov. 12 and 19. More than 2,700 people were vaccinated, Cuddy said.
Cuddy said H1N1 flu seemed to have peaked among school children in October, but that another spike in H1N1 cases was possible, especially as the height of seasonal flu approaches.
“We don't know how the cycle of H1N1 flu is going to pan out,” she said. “It's always a good preventative measure to get vaccinated.”
The Dec. 7 clinic, to be held from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES campus, is currently the only health department clinic scheduled at this point. There is no pre-registration. Additional clinics may be held based on the county's supply and the demand within the community, Cuddy said.
“I do expect we may have enough for yet another vaccination clinic,” she said. “But we won't know until we see who comes to receive it.”
Future shipments of the vaccine may also be given to local doctors, most of whom have waiting lists, she said.
Staff writer Sarah Gantz can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or sarah.gantz@lee.net
“We feel very comfortable with our H1N1 supply at the moment,” said Kathleen Cuddy, deputy director of health services for the county. The county has about 2,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine to distribute, she said.
Priority groups for the H1N1 vaccine include parents and caregivers of infants younger than 6 months, pregnant women, health care and emergency medical services personnel, and adults 18 to 64 who have a chronic medical condition. Pregnant women must bring a doctor's note to verify it is safe for them to receive the vaccine.
This is the first county clinic for which adults with a chronic medical condition will be considered a priority group, a sign that the vaccine is slowly becoming more available, Cuddy said.
The county held H1N1 clinics specifically for children and school district staff who were part of a priority group at all of the county's school districts between Nov. 12 and 19. More than 2,700 people were vaccinated, Cuddy said.
Cuddy said H1N1 flu seemed to have peaked among school children in October, but that another spike in H1N1 cases was possible, especially as the height of seasonal flu approaches.
“We don't know how the cycle of H1N1 flu is going to pan out,” she said. “It's always a good preventative measure to get vaccinated.”
The Dec. 7 clinic, to be held from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES campus, is currently the only health department clinic scheduled at this point. There is no pre-registration. Additional clinics may be held based on the county's supply and the demand within the community, Cuddy said.
“I do expect we may have enough for yet another vaccination clinic,” she said. “But we won't know until we see who comes to receive it.”
Future shipments of the vaccine may also be given to local doctors, most of whom have waiting lists, she said.
Staff writer Sarah Gantz can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or sarah.gantz@lee.net
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