Calhoun OB/GYN Associates in conjunction with Gordon Hospital will be providing a limited number of H1N1 vaccines at a free Flu Clinic to be held Tuesday, November 17, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. (or until the shots are gone) at Gordon Hospital’s Conference Room E.
“We received a limited amount of vaccine in excess of the needs of our patient population,” says Larry Underwood, office manager for Calhoun OB/GYN Associates. “Our physicians and our staff felt like the community would greatly benefit from these extra doses since the vaccine is in short supply around the country. We have set aside enough for our patients to receive the vaccine and then will open the available shots to the general community.”
Calhoun OB/GYN Associates is partnering with Gordon Hospital due to its availability of parking and staff to help administer the vaccine. The vaccine being administered is for ages four and up and will be given on a first come, first served basis to those who qualify for the first round of the vaccine.
“We really want to make sure that we are reaching those at highest risk for the H1N1 flu,” says Underwood. “That means we are following guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for administering the vaccine to individuals who fall into that high risk category.”
The CDC recommends that the following high risk groups receive the vaccine:
· Pregnant women (you do NOT have to be a patient of Calhoun OB/GYN Associates to receive the shot)
· People who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age
· Healthcare and emergency medical personnel
· Anyone from 6 months through 24 years of age (for this particular vaccine the youngest age we can vaccinate is four years of age or older).
· Anyone from 25 to 64 years of age with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system
“We are grateful to Calhoun OB/GYN Associates for sharing a portion of their shipment of the vaccine to the community,” says Amy Jordon, chief nursing officer at Gordon Hospital. “As our community waits on additional vaccine, this is a tremendous way to start our vaccinations and our community is blessed by their generosity.”
Additional shipments are expected so if you don’t fall into this first wave of vaccinations, don’t despair. “We do believe that shipments of the H1N1 vaccine will continue to arrive in our area. The Gordon County Health Department, private physician practices and the hospital all should be receiving vaccine as it becomes available. If you want the vaccine, keep checking with one of these entities to see if additional shots have arrived,” says Jordon.
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