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Champaign cancels H1N1 clinic

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By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer Updated 6:09 PM Wednesday, December 2, 2009

URBANA — After a meager turnout for a recent H1N1 flu clinic earlier this week, Champaign County Health officials cancelled a clinic that had originally been planned for Sunday, Dec. 6.

Instead, they will hold targeted clinics at area schools, and they’re hoping to make the vaccine available to the general public later this month.

Shelia Hiddleson, commissioner of the Champaign Health District, said more than 3,000 vaccines were available for a clinic that took place Monday, Nov. 30. However, only 182 residents showed up seeking a vaccination.

Priority groups that can receive the vaccine now include pregnant women, residents from 6 to 18 years old and health care and emergency medical service workers, among other groups.

Instead of holding additional mass clinics for those groups, Hiddleson said the county will likely wait for approval from state health officials to make the vaccine available to the general public, possibly as early as Dec. 19. The health district is also considering making the vaccinations available for walk-ins later this month.

In the meantime, she said, local health officials will be working with school districts in the county to target school-age children who have not yet received the vaccine.

Despite several clinics, only 10 percent of school-age children in the county have received the vaccine so far, Hiddleson said.

She added that residents older than 65 are not considered as part of a priority group, because studies have shown that a fair number of those residents have some immunity to the H1N1 virus. However, she said those residents are still being encouraged to receive an pneumonia vaccine, which is available by scheduling an appointment with the health district.

To help prevent the spread of the virus, Hiddleson said residents are encouraged to wash their hands, practice good respiratory etiquette and stay home if they are sick.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.

More information

Contact the health district at (937) 484-1605 or visit www.champaignhd.com

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