Tulsa World: More now eligible for flu vaccine

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

More now eligible for flu vaccine
Priority groups for the H1N1 shots are expanded as more vaccine is available.

By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer
Published: 11/11/2009 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 11/11/2009 4:33 AM

More people will be allowed to get the H1N1 vaccination as the state expands priority groups to include all young adults ages 19 to 24, all health-care workers and all caregivers of infants younger than 6 months.

State health officials say more vaccine is flowing into the state, making it possible to open swine flu vaccination to more people.

About 80,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine are expected to be delivered to the state this week, including both the nasal spray and injectables.

Priority groups now include all young people ages 6 months to 24 years, pregnant women, all health-care and emergency medical services personnel, anyone who lives with or cares for an infant younger than 6 months, and all people ages 25 to 64 who have medical conditions that put them at risk of complications from swine flu, or the H1N1 virus.

Conditions include diabetes, asthma or other chronic lung diseases, chronic heart disease and cancer.

Since Sept. 1, 804 Oklahomans have been hospitalized because of complications from swine flu, and 20 people have died.

Of the deaths, 90 percent were among people younger than 65, health officials said.

Beginning Thursday, pregnant women will be able to receive an H1N1 vaccination on a walk-in basis from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. from Monday through Thursday and from 8 to 11 a.m. Fridays at these locations: James O. Goodwin Health Center, 5051 S. 129th East Ave.; Central Regional Health Center, 315 S. Utica Ave.; and Expo Square Health Center, 4616 E. 15th St.

Pregnant women are six times more likely to be hospitalized with complications from the H1N1 virus and are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated, officials said.

Upcoming Tulsa area clinics for all at-risk groups are scheduled:

From 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Church at Battle Creek, 3025 N. Aspen Ave. in Broken Arrow.

From 2 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Nov. 18 at the Expo Square Exchange Center, 21st Street between Harvard and Yale avenues. Enter on the west side of the building.

From 3 to 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Tulsa Community College's West Campus, 7505 W. 41st St.

From 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 12 at Oral Roberts University, 7777 S. Lewis Ave.

Swine-flu information

For more information about the H1N1 virus or the vaccine, call the Tulsa City-County Health Department’s flu hot line at 595-4500 or 582- 9355 or the Oklahoma State Department of Health hot line at (866) 278-7134 or go online to tulsaworld.com/okhealth.

Kim Archer 581-8315
kim.archer@tulsaworld.com By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

6 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Swine flu vaccine priority groups expanded," which was published on 11/10/2009.

	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (11/11/2009 11:35:27 AM) I'm 61 and have type 2 diabetes. But, for now, I'll pass on the Swine flu vaccine. I don't do the regular flu shot either. I had bad flu experiences when receiving flu shots from 1995 to 1999. Thanks but no thanks.
	Report Comment T.B'Ville, Bruins (11/11/2009 12:54:30 PM) I have heard two different stories on kids and these shots. Some say you have to have a follow up(booster)and some say they dont. Does anyone know? When my little one got her shot the nurse said she would have to come back in four weeks for a booster, I said what?, she then says oh um no she wont.
	Report Comment Aggie, (11/11/2009 6:37:18 PM) What has it been, a year now, that the government has had to prepare for this? If they can't even manage a small program like this, heaven help us if we are saddled with Obamacare. Everyone will have a little card saying they are covered; you just won't be able to see a doctor or have tests done for months. Need surgery? How about in a year or two?
	Report Comment Captain BlackBeaver, SmokeHole Island (11/11/2009 10:06:28 PM) "From 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Church at Battle Creek, 3025 N. Aspen Ave. in Broken Arrow." Arrggghh, angry traffic to follow!
	Report Comment sowhat, (11/11/2009 10:43:59 PM) T.B'Ville yes children 2-9 years have to get a booster. Anyone 10 and over don't require one. Hope that helps. To the rest of the negative comments, just stay home and don't get the vaccine, more for the ones' that want it.
	Report Comment fld11, (11/13/2009 3:35:21 PM) It's wonderful that we have such a caring state agency that decides who can live and who can die. These people don't have a clue about health. It's so full of big government sludge that nobody can get anything done.

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.