Update (9-4-09)

Update (8-21-09)

Update (8-7-09)

Update (7-24-09)

Update (7-15-09)

Update (6-15-09)

Update (5-22-09)

Update (5-15-09)

Update (5-11-09)

Update (5-8-09)

Community & Business Partners:

 

As you know, in October, the Health Department began offering H1N1 vaccinations in day cares and to school-age children in over 50 local schools.  Last week, we were started our Community Vaccination Clinics for high risk individuals last week.  We offered a clinic in Everglades City on Wednesday, one at our North Collier Regional Park location on Thursday, another at our southern location – the former K-Mart at 951 and East Tamiami Trail (in Freedom Square) on Friday and we finished the week with a clinic on Saturday in Immokalee. All of the clinics ran from 10am – 6 pm and were well attended. Lines formed in the early part of the day, quieted down mid-day and surged again around 3 pm till closing.  We are thrilled so many people in the high risk categories (see below) are protecting themselves, their families and our community by getting vaccinated!  We also are meeting many people over 65 years of age who have underlying health conditions and would like to get vaccinated.  Although these folks do not yet fit in the Centers for Disease Control high risk categories for this flu – H1N1 Swine flu, we understand their concerns and hope to be given approval through the State Health Office to begin vaccinating this population within a couple of weeks. 

 

If you have friends, families members or co-workers who are over 65 years of age and have underlying health conditions, please help us share this message:

 

1. •We are planning to vaccinate anyone who is not yet in the highest risk groups as soon as we are given permission to do so.  Our best guess is by the end of November, we should be able to start doing so.
   

2. •Even if someone over 65 years of age is given a prescription for H1N1 vaccine and advised by their doctor to get the vaccine as soon as possible, the Health Department will not be able to vaccinate them until given the okay by our State Health Office who is taking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.   
   

3. •The reason people over 65 years of age (even those with health problems) are not in the highest risk group – is because with this new flu – H1N1 Swine flu—surveillance has shown 90% of the hospitalizations and deaths have been in people under 65 years of age.  This is VERY unique in that with annual seasonal flu, it is completely the opposite.  Ninety percent of the hospitalizations and deaths attributed to seasonal flu occur in people over 65 years of age.
   

4. •In addition, people over 60 years of age seem to have some immunity or protection from the H1N1 virus.  Scientists believe exposures to like flu viruses in the past may have caused this age group to build some antibodies which may provide some protection against the H1N1 virus. 
   

5. •That said, in a few weeks – hopefully by the last week of November, the Health Department wants to be able to vaccinate people over 65 years of age with underlying health conditions and eventually, anyone else who desires vaccine.  If we get the approval to do so, we will update our phone message line, 252-8200, option 2 and our website CollierPrepares.org with details on who can get vaccinated, when and where.
   

 

 

Highest Risk Groups for H1N1 Swine Flu:

·        Pregnant women

·        Persons who live with or provide care for infants aged <6 months (e.g. parents, siblings and daycare providers)

·        Persons aged 6 months – 24 years

·        Persons aged 25 – 64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu-related complications

·        Health care and emergency medical services personnel who have direct patient contact