Dec 1, 2009 11:15 am US/Pacific
L.A. County's Last H1N1 Vaccine Clinics To Open
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Health directors from Los Angeles County and the cities of Pasadena and Long Beach will release the final schedule for free large-scale public H1N1 shots – ending the first phase of vaccine distribution. (File Photo)
Justin Sullivan /Getty Images
Public health officials Tuesday released a schedule for the season's final round of free H1N1 vaccination clinics and urged high-risk individuals to get inoculated.
Starting next week, the vaccine will be distributed primarily through private health care providers. Los Angeles County, Long Beach and Pasadena health officials jointly announced an end to the mass clinics.
"As supplies of H1N1 vaccine increase, it is time for public health departments to step back and for doctors and community clinics to step forward in meeting the unique needs of their patients and community," Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health, said. "Residents who are in the priority groups for H1N1 vaccine and do not have a regular source of health care are strongly encouraged to take advantage of (the final clinics) to receive free vaccine."
The priority groups for the H1N1 vaccine include:
-- Pregnant women;
-- People living with or caring for infants under six months of age;
-- Emergency medical services personnel and health care workers'
-- Children and young adults from 6 months through 24 years old;
-- People 25 through 64 years old with chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease, asthma, diabetes, or weakened immune systems.
The H1N1 vaccine will still be available to those without a regular source of health care through community clinics after this week. A limited number of appointments will also be available at Los Angeles County Public Health centers.
"Though it may appear that the H1N1 flu has peaked or that there are fewer cases, influenza does come in waves," Dr. Takashi Wada, public health director for Pasadena, said. "During the holiday season, more individuals travel or gather in homes, shopping malls, movie theaters or other locations, increasing the potential for illness to spread. We strongly encourage these high-risk groups to protect their health and the health of their loved ones by getting vaccinated."
Officials also reminded residents that children under 10 years of age require a second dose of the vaccine for it to be effective.
Public health departments had originally intended to target those without health insurance or a regular source of health care, but a temporary shortage in the vaccine led to larger-than-expected crowds at public clinics.
"This has been a joint H1N1 vaccination effort between the public health departments of Long Beach, Pasadena and Los Angeles County," said Fielding. "Moving from a mass vaccination effort to a community-based effort merely marks the successful end of the public health departments' large scale outreach, as we planned from the beginning."
Nearly 1.2 million doses of H1N1 vaccine have been delivered to private health care providers in the county.
To reach L.A. County's Health Department, click
here or call the 211 information line.
Click
here to reach the City of Long Beach's Health Deaprtment.
For Pasadena's Health Department, click
here.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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