By Mary Drier (Contact / Staff Bio)
November 27, 2009 - 01:35 p.m. EST

TUSCOLA COUNTY — Enough H1N1 vaccine is available for the Tuscola County Health Department to have flu clinics in schools next week.

All clinics at schools in the county will be from 4:15-6:15 p.m., and the first one will be Wednesday in the Caro school district’s high school cafeteria.

The other schools are as follows: Thursday, Dec. 3 in the Cass City School District with the location to be announced; Monday, Dec. 7 in the Kingston Community Schools Elementary cafeteria; Tuesday, Dec. 8 in the Mayville Community Schools in the lower lobby and hallway; Wednesday, Dec. 9 in the Millington High School cafeteria; Monday, Dec. 14 in the Reese Elementary Schools; Tuesday, Dec. 15 in the Akron-Fairgrove High School multi-purpose room and Wednesday, Dec. 16 in the Unionville-Sebewaing Area Elementary cafeteria.

In the Vassar school district, a date and location has not been determined yet, but it is expected to be in December.

Parents or legal guardian must be present at the school clinics.

“You can attend any of the school clinics that will meet your needs,” explained Tuscola County Health Department Nursing Administrator Ann Hepfer R.N.B.S. “Out-of-county children who attend area schools will not be turned away.

“The vaccine is free of charge.”

Also, clinics are open to the public to those who meet the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria: pregnant women, those who live with or provide care for infants under age six months (e.g., parents, siblings and daycare providers), health-care and emergency medical services personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious material, children aged six months - four years, and children and adolescents aged five-18 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications, and healthy young adults between the ages of 2-24 years of age, with no chronic illnesses.

And, persons aged six months through 64 years who have medical conditions associated with a higher risk of influenza complications - diabetes, transplant individuals, asthma, COPD, Emphysema, cancer, blood disorders, heart disease, kidney disorders, liver disorders, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain or spinal cord injuries, moderate to profound intellectual disability, or developmental delays, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, weakened immune systems HIV, AIDS or on medications that weaken the immune system.

“We have a doctor on the health board. He said the first wave of H1N1 has come through,” said Commissioner Tom Kern, who is the board’s liaison to the health department. “He said to brace because there will be a second wave coming.”

According to Hepfer, the CDC recommends that most people should be vaccinated with the 2009 H1N1 vaccine regardless of whether they had a flu-like illness earlier in the year.

“If the person had confirmed laboratory test of the H1N1 virus they should have some immunity against the 2009 H1N1 flu and could choose not to be vaccinated,” cited a press release from the health department. “However, vaccination of a person with some existing immunity to the 2009 H1N1 virus would not be harmful.”

For additional information, call (989) 673-8114

Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.