Editor's note: In an effort to provide accurate and timely information on H1N1 activity, area health departments have offered to provide a weekly update on flu activity, as well as information on vaccination clinics and precautions. This column will appear each Sunday.
In the first 12 days of the New Year, several H1N1 immunization clinics were held in the region to reach the needs of the community.
On Jan. 6, the North Andover Health Department provided approximately 1,200 doses of vaccine in a clinic that lasted about four hours and ended earlier than planned when the vaccine ran out. On Jan. 9, Lawrence and Methuen provided approximately 450 doses in a shared clinic, and Haverhill gave approximately 550 doses. On Jan. 12, Andover held an open clinic and distributed 850 doses to the community. All clinics had the potential to provide more than 1,000 doses each for the community, if enough residents had attended. It is important that communities improve immunization rates in case a third wave of illness occurs.
Andover will hold a limited clinic on Jan. 19, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the Andover Town House, 20 Main Street. This clinic will be for children ages 2 to 9, and is intended to provide the necessary second dose to those children who received the vaccine in December. Children seeking their first dose are also welcome at this clinic. While it is not required to obtain an immunization, please bring a copy of an insurance card with you, as some health plans are reimbursing the community for the cost of running clinics.
Lawrence, North Andover, Methuen and Andover will host a joint clinic at Osgood Landing (the former Lucent or Western Electric Building) on Wednesday, Jan. 27, from 1 to 7 p.m. Specific details will be included in next week's article.
To find clinics in your region, please visit the Mass Pro Flu-Finder service at http://flu.masspro.org/clinic/.
As we enter flu season, and with school back in session, public health officials fear that the H1N1 flu will reappear in the coming weeks and continue to infect people who are not yet immunized. We continue to encourage the public to avail themselves of this free immunization, since it will protect the person being immunized and all unimmunized people they come into contact with.
