DELAND -- The Volusia County Health Department will conduct a free H1N1 swine flu vaccination clinic Saturday in the Tommy Lawrence Arena of the Volusia County Fairgrounds, 3150 E. New York Ave., DeLand. The vaccination clinic will take place between the hours of 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. or until the vaccine supply has been exhausted.
The vaccination clinic is for people who are in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended priority groups to get the H1N1 swine flu vaccine and include:
● People 25 years through 64 years who have health complications
associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza;
● Pregnant women;
● Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age;
● Health care and emergency medical services personnel,
● People from 6 months through 24 years of age.
The clinic will offer the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine and the injectable vaccine. The nasal vaccine is sprayed in the nose and is approved for
healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49. The injectable vaccine is injected in the arm muscle. Both vaccines are safe and effective
protection against the H1N1 swine flu virus, according to Volusia County Health Department Director Dr. Bonnie Sorensen.
H1N1 swine flu vaccinations are voluntary. Residents may visit www.VolusiaHealth.com and click on Let’s Fight Flu Together for detailed information about the vaccine and to print a vaccine consent form, which must be signed by the person receiving the vaccine or a child’s parent/guardian before the vaccine will be administered.
Residents are encouraged to complete the consent form in advance and bring to the clinic to expedite the process.
Residents also can view H1N1 swine flu information and print a consent form using Volusia County public library computers. For a complete list of library locations, visit www.VolusiaLibrary.org.
Children 9 years and younger should get two doses of the vaccine. Children should receive the second dose of the vaccine 21 to 28 days
after the first dose. Children 10 and older require only one dose of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine to be protected.
People who have a severe (life-threatening) allergy to eggs or any other substance in the vaccine should not get H1N1 swine flu vaccine.
For more information about H1N1 swine flu, visit www.VolusiaHealth.com and click on the Let’s Fight Flu Together banner or call the Volusia
County Health Department Flu Information Line at (866) 821-7704.