Public Swine Flu Clinics Scheduled for Grays Harbor County

ABERDEEN, Wash. - The Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services Department has announced four public clinics where people in the priority groups established by the Centers for Disease Control can receive their H1N1 (swine) flu vaccination free of charge.

The priority groups include people over the age of 25 who have chronic heart, lung, immune, or metabolic conditions (including diabetes), as well as pregnant women, people caring for babies under the age of 6 months, all people aged 6 months through 24 years, and healthcare workers.

“These clinics are made available for people who don’t have a regular health care provider or are unable to pay an administration fee,” said Joan Brewster, the Public Health Director. “We are also getting vaccine to over 30 local medical clinics, so people in these groups should be able to get vaccine from their provider.”

School children who missed the clinic at their school may also wish to get their vaccination at these community clinics.

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“We will visit each elementary school again in January to deliver the 2nd dose to the children under age 10,” says Brewster. “Parents can bring their children who missed the school clinic to the community clinics or they can wait and get the vaccine at their school’s clinic.”

Clinics are scheduled for the following times and locations.

• Saturday Dec 12, 10 am to 4 pm: South Shore Mall, Aberdeen

• Tuesday Dec 15, 4 to 7 pm: Elma Middle School

• Wednesday, Dec 16, 4 to 7 pm: Ocosta Elementary School, Westport

• Thursday, Dec 17, 4 to 7 pm: Ocean Shores Convention Center

The clinic schedule is dependent on an adequate supply of vaccine, but the delay seems to be easing. “We expect the vaccine supply to increase fairly quickly now,” reports Brewster. “By January 1st, we hope it will be relatively easy to get a shot from your health care provider, at a pharmacy, or from private vaccine providers. By then vaccine will be for everyone and not limited to priority groups.”

Clinic schedules and a broad variety of information on the H1N1 (swine) flu in both English and Spanish is available at www.HealthyGH.org. The website is updated continuously as new information becomes available and new activities are scheduled. For questions that must be addressed by telephone, please call (360) 532-8631 ext. 417.