County gets H1N1 vaccine, but must restrict recipients

Only high-risk populations will receive initial doses

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

The Charles County Department of Health will hold a free H1N1 vaccine clinic for people in a priority group from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 7 at the health department in White Plains.

The clinic was initially scheduled for the general public but a shortage of the swine flu vaccine has caused health department officials to offer this first H1N1 clinic in the county for priority groups only, said William Leebel, spokesman.

"We realize the public is anxious to get the H1N1 vaccine but at the moment we only have 2,000 doses," he said Monday. "With that limited supply we can only vaccinate priority groups."

People who can receive the vaccine Saturday are pregnant women, health care and emergency medical services personnel, young people 6 months to 24 years, household contacts and caregivers for children 6 months and younger and people 25 to 64 who have underlying health conditions with a high risk of having complications from the virus, including asthma and diabetes.

Leebel said the health department is expecting more doses of the vaccine.

"We hope to get some delivered this week," he said.

The health department is at 4545 Crain Highway.

For the latest information about the availability of the H1N1 vaccine, call the health department at 301-609-6900 or go to www.charlescountyhealth.org.

nmcconaty@somdnews.com