The DeKalb County Health Department will offer H1N1 flu vaccine to anyone who would like to receive it. A clinic will be held on Thursday, December 3rd from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the basement of the DeKalb County Courthouse. Another clinic is scheduled Saturday, December 5th from 9:00 a.m. until noon at the Smithville First United Methodist Church. In both clinics, vaccine will be available for all age groups. The vaccine and administration of it is FREE of charge. To get more information, call 615-597-7599. The H1N1 flu vaccine will be provided at no charge.
The Family Medical Center also has H1N1 vaccine available for all ages.
There are two types of influenza vaccines that protect against H1N1 flu. Flu Mist® is a live vaccine containing a significantly weakened version of virus that is administered in the nose and can be provided to healthy, non-pregnant persons age 2 to 49 years. The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine containing killed virus that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use among people 6 months of age or older, including healthy people and those with chronic medical conditions.
The same manufacturers who produce seasonal flu vaccines are producing 2009 H1N1 vaccines for use in the United States, and the vaccines are being made in the same way that the seasonal vaccines are made.
The DeKalb Health Department also urges residents to receive the seasonal flu vaccination to prevent illness. The seasonal flu vaccine is particularly recommended for the elderly, young children and people with certain health conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease since they are at high risk for complications from seasonal flu.
For more information about the H1N1 flu vaccines, call the DeKalb County Health Department at 615-597-7599 or contact the Tennessee Flu Information Line at 1-877-252-3432. Information is also available on the Web at www.tn.gov/health or www.flu.gov.
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