Under-10 kids to need 2nd flu shot
BY SUSAN SIMPSON NewsOK.com
Thursday, November 05, 2009
11/05/09 at 4:08 AM
Other immunization clinics around the state this Saturday.
Health officials are reminding parents that children younger than 10 who have been vaccinated for swine flu will need a booster shot, even if that means standing in line a second time.
A second dose of the H1N1 vaccine is recommended for children because they have less developed immune systems than adults do. While the first dose offers a beginning dose of immunity, a booster will more fully protect young children, health officials say.
The booster shot should be given 28 days or more after the first dose.
Health officials said one dose of the vaccine for children younger than 10 provides 30 percent to 60 percent immunity but that a second dose can bring immunity to 80 percent to 90 percent, equal to what adults achieve with one dose. No vaccines are 100 percent effective.
Tulsa swine flu vaccine clinics
When: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday
Where: Expo Square Exchange
Center, 21st Street
between Harvard and Yale
avenues. Enter from 21st
Street, then go to the west
side of the building.
Cost: Free
Who: All children from 6
months to 18 years of age
Pregnant women
Frontline health-care
workers with direct contact
to the acutely ill
Custodial parents of
infants younger than 6
months
Adults age 19 to 64 with
chronic medical conditions
Paperwork: Fill it out
ahead of time by downloading
a form at tulsaworld.com/tulsa-health
Other walk-in clinics set in coming weeks
Thursday, Nov. 12, 3-7
p.m., Church at Battle
Creek, 3025 N. Aspen
Ave., Broken Arrow
Thursday, Dec. 3, 3-7
p.m., Tulsa Community
College West Campus,
7505 W. 41st St., Tulsa
Saturday, Dec. 12, 9
a.m.-noon, Oral Roberts
University, 7777 S. Lewis
Ave.
For more: Call the
Tulsa City-County Health
Department's flu hot line
at 595-4500 or 582-
9355. Calls are answered
8 a.m.-5 p.m. monday to
Friday.
The Tulsa World contributed to this
story.
Click here to read the complete article at NewsOK.com.
