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Swine flu shots arrive
Denton County offers first mass clinic today for at-risk residents12:28 AM CST on Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Denton County Health Department officials have accumulated enough doses of swine flu vaccine to begin holding mass clinics for those considered to be at high risk for the virus.
After receiving a slow trickle of doses in late October, health officials received the first two sizable shipments, with 1,200 and 5,700 doses, in mid-November.
Denton County swine flu vaccination clinics are open to people in high-risk populations. Vaccinations will be administered free of charge during three clinics:
• 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at C.H. Collins Athletic Complex, 1500 Long Road
• 2 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 at Rosemeade Recreation Center, 1330 E. Rosemeade Parkway in Carrollton
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at the University of North Texas Discovery Park, 3940 N. Elm St.
SOURCE: Denton County Health Department
And finally, last week, the county health department received an additional shipment, bringing the total inventory to approximately 11,000.
“That should get us at least started with the high-risk population,” said Betsy Haggard, public information officer for the county health department. “We’re still trying to get more. It’s our hope the state will continue to send them to us. As soon as we get more, we will open up more clinics.”
To date, the county has provided about 2,600 doses.
Those in the high-risk population include:
• pregnant women,
• people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
• health care and emergency medical services personnel,
• people ages 6 months through 24 years of age, and
• people from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for swine flu because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.
No new deaths from the H1N1 virus have been reported in the area since the Oct. 28 death of a 49-year-old Lewisville woman with an underlying medical condition, officials report.
And while influenza cases are down and continuing to drop, according to recent health department data, Haggard said the number is still above what officials see in traditional flu seasons. A combination of people building natural immunity to the virus and vaccinations may have contributed to the drop in cases, Haggard said.
“But it’s still recommended people get the vaccine, especially those in the high-risk groups,” she warned.
For the timeliest information on 2009 swine flu, call the Denton County flu hotline at 940-349-4358 or visit www.dentoncounty.com/health.
BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com.
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