Saturday, November 21, 2009
Flu shot list grows
Second tier of high-risk groups now eligible for H1N1 vaccine
From staff reports
Published on Saturday, November 07, 2009
More people will be able to get novel H1N1 influenza vaccine at upcoming flu clinics in Aberdeen and area towns.
As of Monday, the state Health Department is making the vaccine available to the second tier of high-risk groups:
All kids 5-18.
Young adults 19-24.
Adults 25-64 with chronic health conditions.
People in the first tier can still get the vaccine:
Pregnant women.
Children 6 months-4 years.
Children 5-18 with chronic health conditions.
Caregivers of children younger than 6 months of age, who are too young to be vaccinated.
Health care and emergency medical services workers.
These clinics are scheduled in the Aberdeen area next week:
Aberdeen: 3:30-7 p.m. Wednesday at Simmons Middle School, 1300 S. Third St.
Redfield: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday at the Spink County Courthouse.
Webster: 3-7 p.m. Monday at the Webster Armory.
The Department of Health has distributed more than 76,000 doses to more than 400 locations across South Dakota, according to the department.
"We know that there are still many people in the first tier who have not had a chance to get vaccinated, but more public clinics are being scheduled every week, and we think it's time to start reaching out to the next group of individuals at high risk," said Doneen Hollingsworth, secretary of health, in a press release.
Public clinics will be open to both tiers of high risk individuals, according to the release, and private providers will be encouraged to offer the vaccine to patients in both groups.
In the next week, vaccine clinics will be scheduled at limited schools and college campuses; the vaccine will eventually be made available to the general population, according to the health department.
As of Oct. 31, South Dakota had 1,662 cases of H1N1, 330 hospitalizations and 13 deaths, according to the health department.
Deaths have occurred in the following counties: four in Pennington; two each in Minnehaha and Shannon; and one each in Brookings, Codington, Todd, Turner and Union. Those who have died have ranged in age from 8 to 96 years and have been 85 percent male and 15 percent female.
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As of Monday, the state Health Department is making the vaccine available to the second tier of high-risk groups:
People in the first tier can still get the vaccine:
These clinics are scheduled in the Aberdeen area next week:
The Department of Health has distributed more than 76,000 doses to more than 400 locations across South Dakota, according to the department.
"We know that there are still many people in the first tier who have not had a chance to get vaccinated, but more public clinics are being scheduled every week, and we think it's time to start reaching out to the next group of individuals at high risk," said Doneen Hollingsworth, secretary of health, in a press release.
Public clinics will be open to both tiers of high risk individuals, according to the release, and private providers will be encouraged to offer the vaccine to patients in both groups.
In the next week, vaccine clinics will be scheduled at limited schools and college campuses; the vaccine will eventually be made available to the general population, according to the health department.
As of Oct. 31, South Dakota had 1,662 cases of H1N1, 330 hospitalizations and 13 deaths, according to the health department.
Deaths have occurred in the following counties: four in Pennington; two each in Minnehaha and Shannon; and one each in Brookings, Codington, Todd, Turner and Union. Those who have died have ranged in age from 8 to 96 years and have been 85 percent male and 15 percent female.
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