Sky Byrem, 7, of Annville, Pa., is given the H1N1 vaccine by Jennifer Shirk with the Department of Health as she is held by her mother Christina Bohr, left, at the Dauphin County State Health Center in Harrisburg, Pa., Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. Livingston, Calif. residents can get flu shots in Atwater, Merced or Los Banos in December.(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The Merced County Health Department announced today it will conduct special H1N1 flu clinics on three consecutive Saturdays beginning Dec. 5.
Shots are available Dec. 5 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Merced County Fairgrounds Pavilion Building, 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Merced.
On Dec. 12, the clinic will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Los Banos Fairgrounds, 403 F St., Los Banos.
The third clinic is Dec. 19 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Peggy Heller School, 201 Lakeview Drive, Atwater.
“H1N1 flu vaccine clinics are a top priority for our community and the Health Department,” Merced County Health Director John Volanti said in a prepared statement.
“By offering these Saturday clinics, we will be able to provide the vaccine to our community at locations and times that may be more convenient to people who were not able to attend previous flu clinics held on weekdays.
"Also, by moving the public flu clinics to Saturdays, we will be able to begin various school-based flu vaccine clinics beginning in December, offering flu vaccine directly to middle school and high school age children.
"The health department will continue to offer flu vaccine clinics as long as we have vaccine available.”
The agency said it will will provide flu vaccine for any county resident who attends the Saturday clinics, but continues to emphasize the importance for the following groups to receive vaccination:
• Pregnant women;
• Individuals who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months of age including parents, siblings, and child care providers;
• Health-care and emergency medical services personnel;
• Children and young adults (ages 6 months-24 years); and
• Adults who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu-related complications.
The department advises people to call their primary health care provider first for a flu vaccination since local providers have begun receiving H1N1 vaccine.
Children younger than 18 years of age must have permission from their parent/guardian to receive the vaccine.
Individuals who have a fever or have received other live vaccines, like flu mist or measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, in the past few weeks may not be eligible to receive a flu vaccine based on the health department’s guidelines for vaccine administration.
The administrative fee will be waived for the H1N1 flu vaccine at the H1N1 flu vaccine clinics for any individual who does not have insurance coverage.
Individuals with medical insurance should bring their insurance identification cards, but co-payments will be waived for the H1N1 flu vaccine.
For more information on the H1N1 flu shots and special pandemic flu clinics, please call 381-1180 for general flu and vaccine information or 381-1020 for specific health-related answers concerning the vaccine.
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