Vaccination against H1N1 available at health offices

Nasal mist will be offered free to those who qualify

By J.R. Williams -- jrwilliams@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- Free swine flu vaccine is available at area health department offices for anyone who meets certain medical conditions, the Lord Fairfax Health District announced Thursday.

A nasal mist variety of the H1N1 vaccine is available for people age 2 to 49 who are not pregnant, according to the health district's director, Stephen A. Haering.

Recipients of the vaccine also must be free from certain underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, asthma or diabetes.

The health district specifies in a news release that those age 24-49 may be vaccinated only if they care for infants less than 6 months old.

"We take people's word for it," Haering said.

All health care workers under age 49 are eligible, the news release says.

Haering said the restrictions are meant to immunize those at the highest risk -- younger people are most vulnerable.

"Elderly people are at low risk for H1N1, but are at high risk for seasonal flu," he said.

The vaccinations are available at five area health department offices. No appointment is necessary to receive a vaccination, and those vaccinated will not receive H1N1 virus, Haering said.

Health officials in recent weeks have been busy administering the first shipment of injectable vaccine to schoolchildren regionwide.

When a shipment of the nasal mist vaccine became available about two weeks ago, those on a waiting list were vaccinated first, Haering said. There's now a surplus of the nasal mist.

Haering said there still is adequate supply of the injectable variety to continue vaccinating schoolchildren. The nasal mist will not be used in schools, he said.

"It's hard to tell people you're going to do one thing and then reverse," he said.

Local health departments are out of the seasonal flu vaccine, Haering said, but many private providers may still have it in stock. Getting both vaccines is advisable, he said.

The free H1N1 vaccinations are available at the following offices Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.:

* Clarke County Health Department, 100 N. Buckmarsh St., Berryville. Call 955-1033.

* Frederick-Winchester Health Department, 150 Commercial St., Winchester. Call 722-3470.

* Shenandoah County Health Department, 600 N. Main St., No. 106, Woodstock. Call 459-3733.

* Warren County Health Department, 134 Peyton St., Front Royal. Call 635-3159.

* Page County Health Department, 75 Court Lane, Luray. Call 743-6528.