Two recent swine flu deaths in Niagara County and the gravity of this pandemic have people concerned about this virus. Today, a thousand people showed up for a local swine flu vaccination clinic.
Niagara County has a large number of uninsured and under-insured children. That's why the Niagara County Health Department teamed up with the Starpoint School District to hold a free immunization clinic so parents can protect their kids from the swine flu.
Now that there is a vaccine available for the swine flu, parents are the first ones in line to get their kids vaccinated. "I think the ways things have been going, I think it's a good thing to get in front of it and to keep them from getting sick, if possible," said father Mark Woleban.
"It was a minimal wait and a few tears but everybody's vaccinated and it makes us feel good that everyone will stay healthy," said mother Deidre Marriner.
Today at Starpoint High School, the Niagara County Health Department made 1,000 H1N1 shots available only to Starpoint residents. Patients have to fall within one of three target risk groups to qualify for the vaccine: pregnant women, individuals 6 months of age to 24 years of age, or caregivers of infants less than 6 months old.
"If they don't fall in those target groups, unfortunately they'll be turned away because we only have enough vaccine for those target groups," said Niagara County Public Health Director Daniel Stapleton.
Starpoint School Superintendent Douglas Whelan wanted to organize this clinic because absenteeism was climbing within the district and mass vaccination could calm parent's fears about the spread of the swine flu.
"About a month ago we had a 17% absentee rate because that's when the information about the swine flu was just starting to come out. That was about 480 students absent," said Whelan.
Even though the swine flu is not available for everyone, doctors are still recommending that people get vaccinated against the seasonal flu in the meantime.
"If you have only the seasonal flu shot available, get that. We're telling people - don't wait for the H1N1," said Stapleton.
So in Kenmore today, people waited in line at a Flu-Buster clinic. Though even that shot seems to be in short supply. "Our demand for the seasonal flu shot this year has been huge, apparently a lot of the doctors offices are cancelling, or can't get it, and Flu Busters does guarantee that," said Amy Levesque, treasurer of the Parent Teacher Association.
More and more physicians are receiving shipments of the swine flu vaccine, so check with your doctor to see if they are expecting one in the near future.
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