JUNEAU — An H1N1 vaccination clinic has been slated for Tuesday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at the Dodge County Office Building, 143 E. Center St., in Juneau.
The clinic will target pregnant women, or those who live with or care for the children less than 6 months old; health care and emergency medical service personnel who have direct contact with patients; any children between 6 months and 4 years of age; and those that are six months to 18 years of age who have underlying health conditions that could put them at a higher risk for influenza complications. There is no charge for the vaccines.
Dodge County public health officials vaccinated 700 Dodge County residents who fit into the same category at a clinic held last Saturday. Jody Langfeldt, a public health officer with Dodge County Human Services and Health, said everyone who came to the clinic received a vaccination.
“We weren’t sure exactly what to expect given that this was the first big clinic that we’ve had in quite a while,” she said. “We were very pleased with the turnout. The crowd was very cooperative. All in all, I think it was a very successful clinic.”
Langfeldt said that a number of vaccines were left over following the clinic, and she’s also received more vaccines in recent days.
The state Department of Health Services has indicated that vaccination clinics could soon be opened up to those who are between the ages of 19 and 64 that have underlying health conditions that could put them at a higher risk for complication, in addition to the previous five target groups.
“The state is hoping that by the end of November they’ll be getting some more vaccine, and apparently more vaccine has been coming into the state in the past weeks. But they’re not quite ready to open it up to the public,” Langfeldt said.
It appears the virus, Langfeldt said, has not mutated and gained strength. However, it is continuing to cause complications for those with underlying medical conditions.
Any questions about the clinic or H1N1 influenza may be directed to the public health unit of Dodge County Human Health and Services at 386-3670. For more information about the pandemic, visit www.pandemic.wisconsin.gov, or www.cdc.gov.
amartin@capitalnewspapers.com