News Release
For Immediate Release: November 17, 2009
Contact Person: Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, 301-334-7730
Garrett County Health Department Continues to Administer H1N1 Vaccine
The Garrett County Health Department has administered about 2,000 H1N1 vaccinations since the H1N1 flu vaccine was first received in early October.
“The number of vaccinations is far below what we were hoping to have done by this time,” said Jennifer Lee-Steckman, Director of Personal Health, “but we are getting the vaccine out just as fast as the shipments get to us. Although we have had to cancel several clinics become of low vaccine supplies, additional clinics are now being added.”
A public clinic for all the priority areas will be held at the Health Department's Grantsville office on Saturday, November 21st , from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Priority groups for Saturday's clinic include:
• Pregnant women
• Persons who live with or care for infants less than 6 months of age
• Health care workers and emergency medical services workers
• Persons 6 months of age to 24 years of age
• Persons 25 to 64 years of age who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for complication from flu, such as asthma, diabetes, or a weakened immune system.
The Health Department will complete the first round of vaccinations at the schools this week, and will be scheduling additional public clinics to finish up the priority groups.
“As soon as the priority groups have been completed we will open clinics up to the general population,” Lee-Steckman said.
Data across the state and country continues to indicate that most people who are infected with H1N1 will have minor disease and can be treated like seasonal flu with plenty of fluids, rest and over the counter fever reducers. Symptoms of flu include fever, cough, and sore throat and in some cases chills, headache, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea or shortness of breath.
As with seasonal flu, a small percentage of people who are infected with H1N1 may have more serious symptoms. Serious underlying health conditions such as diabetes, or a weakened immune system, increase the chance of complications and death from flu-related illnesses. If you have a flu-like illness and have these underlying conditions and/or begin to experience emergency warning signs, contact your health care provider as soon as possible.
In most cases, physicians' offices can offer needed assistance with these complaints. Services of the emergency room should not routinely be used for milder flu-like symptoms.
Good personal hygiene can reduce the risk of illness: wash your hands often, cover your mouth with a sleeve when coughing or sneezing, and stay home if you have flu symptoms.
Once sufficient vaccine has been made available to address priority populations, the Health Department and local providers will begin offering vaccinations to the general public.
For more information, please call the Health Department's 24-Hour Flu Information Line at 301-334-7697 or 301-895-3113. Information for flu prevention and tentative vaccination schedules is also available at www.garretthealth.org .