Vaccinations for H1N1 are now available

PRINCETON — The Bureau/Putnam County Health Department has set two days a week to give H1N1 vaccines at the health department.

Diana Rawlings, administrator for the local health department, announced the health department will give H1N1 vaccinations at the health department every Monday and Tuesday until further notice.

Persons are asked to call the health department at (815) 872-5091 to schedule an appointment for their vaccine. If the weather is bad on the day of an appointment, people should check with local media or call the health department to determine if the clinic will be operating, Rawlings said.

At this time, the health department has a more than adequate supply of H1N1 vaccine available. So far this year, the health department has already distributed an estimated 6,000 H1N1 vaccines to high-risk priority groups, such as children, pregnant women and health care workers. The Monday and Tuesday schedules are open to the general public, such as the non-priority group of people age 65 years and older.

Bureau County has had 11 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu this year, including one death, Rawlings said. The H1N1 flu is still a concern, she added.

“To our knowledge, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not changed the status of H1N1 from a pandemic,” Rawlings said. “We are hearing from our local hospitals that there are fewer emergency department visits due to respiratory symptoms this month, but no one knows how long the H1N1 season will be with us.”

Rawlings also commented on the regular seasonal flu, which is also a health concern each year. There has been no unusual pattern of seasonal flu reported at this time. Cases of seasonal flu are usually not identified until late January or early February.

In looking at ways to prevent H1N1 and seasonal flu, Rawlings said public health officials are still recommending people follow the “three Cs, which are Clean your hands; Cover your cough; and Contain the virus by staying home when you are sick. These are basic public health principles that should be followed year round, she said.

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