SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. – Health officials hope to vaccinate at least 12,000 people in eligible categories at 10 H1N1 vaccination clinics in Snohomish County on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 
Immunizations are free, but clinics could close earlier if they run out of vaccine. People need to arrive prepared to stand in line in inclement weather — please dress warmly and bring an umbrella or a hooded, waterproof jacket. Wait times will be posted at www.snocoflu.com.
 
H1N1 vaccine will be available only to people in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) target groups, plus teachers and professional child care providers. The groups do not include people older than 65.
 
The target groups for the Oct. 31 clinics are:
·         All pregnant women (Note: Thimerosal-free vaccine will not be available at the clinics. Vaccine that is thimerosal-free will be available from a pregnant patient’s obstetrician or family practitioner.);

·         All persons ages 6 months through 24 years;

·         Household and caregiver contacts of children younger than 6 months (e.g. parents, siblings and daycare providers);

·         Persons ages 25 through 64 years who have medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or lung disease;

·         Teachers and professional child care providers;

·         Health care workers and emergency workers.

Only FluMist nasal spray will be offered to healthy people who are eligible to receive it. Injectable vaccine will be reserved expressly for pregnant women, children ages 6 months to 2 years, and people ages 6 months through 64 years who have asthma, cerebral palsy, congenital heart conditions or other chronic medical conditions for which FluMist is medically contraindicated.

Children ages 9 and younger require two doses of vaccine for full immunity, and generally should get the second dose through their own health-care providers four weeks after getting the first dose.

In addition to expanding the vaccine distribution to all CDC priority groups, Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Health Officer and Director of the Snohomish Health District, has issued guidelines to hospitals and schools to help prevent disease transmission.

Dr. Goldbaum’s recommendations to hospitals are to greet and visually screen visitors for flu-like symptoms and to discourage symptomatic people from visiting inpatients; limit visitors to two per patient; and limit visitors to persons older than 12 years. Most hospitals in Snohomish County are following those recommendations.

The guidelines to Snohomish County schools urge schools to consider cancelling or postponing extramural events that involve overnight stays in close quarters. If such events continue, schools are asked to screen participants for flu-like symptoms and to exclude symptomatic people from participation. Should students become ill during an event, parents or guardians are responsible for getting their ill students home quickly.

Check www.snocoflu.,com for more H1N1 information, clinic wait times, and downloadable consent forms – some materials are available there in multiple languages. The SnoCo Flu Line will be staffed and operational on vaccination clinic Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its weekday hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Below is a list of clinic sites for Saturday, Oct. 31:
 
·         Stanwood Camano Fire/The Everett Clinic – Drive‐through clinic 
City of Stanwood Heritage Park  
9600 276th St. NW
Stanwood, WA 98292 
 
·         Stevens Hospital   
21601 76th Ave. W (Enter via Hwy. 99 and 216th St. SW)
Edmonds, WA 98026 
 
·         Valley General Hospital @ Sky Valley Education Center
17072 Tye Street, Bldg. B
Monroe, WA 98272-1527
 
·         Providence Physician Group – Mill Creek 
12800 Bothell‐Everett Hwy.
Everett, WA 98208 
 
·         Community Health Center 
1019 112th St. SW
Everett, WA 98204 
 
·         Cascade Valley Smokey Point Clinic 
16410 Smokey Point Blvd. #101
Arlington, WA 98223‐8415 
 
·         The Everett Clinic @ Evergreen Middle School 
7621 Beverly Lane 
Everett, WA 98203 
 
·         The Everett Clinic @ Bethlehem Lutheran Church 
7215 51st Ave. 
Marysville, WA 98270 
 
·         Snohomish Family Medical Center
629 Avenue D
Snohomish WA 98290
 
·         Tulalip Pharmacy
8825 34th Ave NE, Suite A -- Marysville WA 98271
Open to general public and Native Americans