H1N1: Vaccinations continue
Clinics set for both sides of the riverBy Ashley Hill, ahill@mariettatimes.com
Article Photos
Fact Box
Upcoming H1N1 vaccination clinics:
Monday - 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Marietta City Health Department, 304 Putnam St.; by appointment only; for infants from age 6 to 35 months, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds and 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds who haven't received vaccines at their schools or attend Washington State Community College or Marietta College.
Tuesday - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the city health department, by appointment only, for the above group of college students, young adults ages 19 to 24, people age 18 to 64 who have underlying health conditions, pregnant women, health care workers and caregivers for children less than six months old. By appointment only.
Appointments can be made by calling the city health department at 373-0611.
Wednesday - 1 to 4 p.m. at the Washington County Health Department for Tier One risk groups. No appointments necessary.
Local health officials continued to provide H1N1 vaccinations to students and at-risk groups this week and have more clinics scheduled for the first part of the upcoming holiday week.
Last Monday, Marietta City Health Department nurses administered more than 200 vaccines to children ages 6 months to 5 years at the health department. The nurses then traveled to Marietta Middle School Tuesday, where more than 300 of the school's 680 students have received the vaccine.
The nurses administered vaccinations to 330 of Marietta High School's 989 students Thursday and part of Friday.
Washington County Health Commissioner Kathleen Meckstroth said 50 to 60 percent of the students at Belpre City Schools and Frontier Local Schools received vaccinations last week.
"It seems that the parents of younger children were more willing to sign permission slips than those in high school grades," she said.
Meckstroth said the county health department administered 143 vaccines at the department Wednesday and held another clinic for those in the high-risk groups Friday.
"I've turned several people away who were over 64. At this point in time, I can't do them even if they have underlying medical conditions. They were all very understanding that we have to follow guidelines," she said.
Meckstroth added that anyone who is over 64 and serves as a direct provider of health care can receive the vaccine.
Students in Marietta City, Ewing, and St. Mary schools who are 9 and under and are due for their second dose of the vaccine will receive it during the first two weeks of December.
The week ahead
H1N1 vaccines will be administered Monday at the Marietta City Health Department from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment only. These vaccines will be for children from age 6 to 35 months, 3 to 5 years old and 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds who haven't received vaccines at their schools or attend Washington State Community College or Marietta College.
"We're trying to take care of this community, however these colleges are a part of our community we haven't gotten to yet," said Vickie Kelly, director of nursing for the city health department.
A clinic will also be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the city health department for this same group of college students, as well as young adults ages 19 to 24, people age 18 to 64 who have underlying health conditions, pregnant women, health care workers, and caregivers for children less than 6 months old. This clinic is also by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling the city health department at 373-0611.
"We will ask for a $7 administration fee, but no one will be turned away for inability to pay," said Kelly.
The county health department will administer vaccinations at Wolf Creek schools Monday and the Washington County Career Center and St. John's School Tuesday. A clinic for those in the Tier One risk groups will be held at the county health department from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday. Appointments are not necessary for this clinic.
"I'm not sure how many vaccines I'll have available, but I'll have enough because I'm getting another shipment Monday or Tuesday," said Washington County Health Commissioner Kathleen Meckstroth.
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mrsmom
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11-24-09 7:41 AM
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I'd like to know WHEN they're going to take care of Warren's shots. Two of my three children have asthma. There's still no mention of Warren at all-yet they say don't come to the clinics if your child(ren) are going to get shots through the schools. I filled out the paper work for my kids to get their shots in school.
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