• By Lynne Mitchell
• Posted Wednesday, December 9, 2009

H1N1 Vaccine Now Available To All

The Forsyth County Department of Public Health will be offering H1N1 flu vaccine to all individuals who want it other than those with medical reasons not to receive it beginning on December 15. The Health Department will be holding a two-day clinic event on Tuesday, December 15 and Wednesday, December 16 in the Education Building on the Dixie Classic Fair Grounds next week. Each day, the clinic will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

The Health Department opened up access to the vaccine to everyone during the recent clinic on Saturday because of poor turnout among the risk groups. The State Health Department is releasing all County Health Departments to make such decisions on an individual basis locally. Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Forsyth Medical Center and the Forsyth County Department of Public Health are all opening access to the vaccine to all those who want it as long as they have no medical contraindication to receiving the vaccine.

The vaccines will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis free of charge. Those wishing to attend should enter at Gate 5 off of Deacon Boulevard.

Children under 10 years of age who receive their first dose of the H1N1 vaccine need a booster dose of H1N1 vaccine 4 weeks or later after the first dose.

Local health departments, hospitals, physicians’ offices, pharmacy chains, and others will be providing H1N1 vaccine for the public in coming weeks. Most individuals will be able to receive the vaccine through their own private health care providers’ offices. The Health Department vaccination clinics will be open to anyone who wishes to us them.