Supplies sufficient to meet demand, health officials say
By Tom Blakey
Transcript Staff Writer
With more than 330,000 doses of adult and child influenza vaccine distributed to county health departments and public health care providers statewide, Oklahoma State Department of Health officials believe supplies of the influenza vaccine will be sufficient to meet this year's demand.
"At the current time, we anticipate having enough flu vaccine this year," said Cleveland County Health Department Administrator Shari Kinney. "We hope our Cleveland County residents will use every opportunity to get vaccinated throughout the fall and winter months."
Kinney said state health officials "usually don't see our first laboratory-confirmed case of influenza until late November or early December."
Oklahoma's flu season usually occurs from October through May, she said.
Beginning Monday, the Cleveland County Health Department will begin conducting influenza vaccination clinics for the upcoming flu season, for those at highest risk of complications from influenza.
Persons at high risk of complications from influenza include the following:
Persons age 50 years and older, with and without chronic health conditions
Residents of long-term care facilities
Persons 2 to 49 years of age with chronic health conditions
Pregnant women
Health-care personnel who provide direct patient care
Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children 6 months or younger
Clinic days and times for high-risk persons are as follows:
Wednesday, 8:30-11 a.m., Norman Senior Citizen Center, 329 S. Peters Ave.
Wednesday, 8:30-11 a.m., Moore Brand Senior Citizen Center, 501 E. Main St.
Oct. 23, 9-11:30 a.m., Noble Senior Citizen Center, 606 Maguire Rd.
Oct. 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., First Baptist Church in Moore, 301 NE 27th St. (Drive through clinic -- adults only 18 and over).
Nov. 5, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Norman Rose Rock Villa, 700 N. Berry Rd.,
For all persons, including high risk and those not considered high risk, the Cleveland County Health Department will offer flu shots on the following clinic dates and times:
Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-noon, Little Axe Community Center, 1000 168th Ave. NE (all ages).
Oct. 29, 2-4:30 p.m., Noble Schools Administration Building, 1201 N. 8th St. (all ages).
Oct. 30, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Norman Health Department, 250 12th Ave. N.E. (6 months-18 years old only).
Oct. 30, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Moore Health Department, 224 S. Chestnut St. (6 months-18 years old only).
Nov. 1, 8 a.m. -5 p.m., Norman Health Department, 250 12th Ave. N.E. (all ages)
The vaccine is also available through private health care providers, Kinney said.
Persons 65 and older and those with chronic health conditions should ask their doctor if they should be vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia, which is a common and potentially serious complication of the flu. Unlike the influenza vaccine, the pneumococcal vaccine does not need to be given every year. This vaccine is available at physicians' offices and the Cleveland County Health Department.
For more information about flu clinics, call the Cleveland County Health Department Norman office at 321-4048 or the Moore office at 794-1591.
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Health Department announces flu shot clinics
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