DOWNEY -- The City of Downey and the L.A. County Department of Public Health plan to host a free H1N1 flu-shot clinic on Saturday, Nov. 14 at the Downey Theatre.

The clinic hours of operation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The clinic layout will be similar to the flu-shot clinics held previously in the same location.

The availability of the H1N1 vaccine for this clinic will be confirmed with the L.A. County Department of Public Health (DPH) next week. The H1N1 vaccine should be available as an injection and a nose spray.

Supplies of the H1N1 vaccine for flu-shot clinics have been limited and present event planning challenges for clinics such as this one. Downey area residents can keep up to date with this fluid situation by looking for the H1N1 article in the Nov. 13 edition of the Patriot, reading the most current information on the City website or utilizing the L.A. County 211 phone information line.

The targeted groups for the H1N1 clinic are:

Young people ages 6 months to 24 years

People living with or giving care to children under 6 months of age

Emergency Medical Services personnel and health care workers

People ages 25-64 with chronic heart, respiratory, diabetes and other health problems

Pregnant women

Important note: at this time, heath care professionals recommend children under the age of 11 receive two vaccinations over the course of three weeks.

Additionally, recent clinic operators have been directed by the LA County DPH to limit their vaccinations to the above listed groups of people because of the vaccine shortages.

The clinic is open to those who live throughout the Downey area. Community members from the surrounding cities are welcome. The clinic will not open early, so attendees are NOT encouraged to arrive excessively early.

Attendees should know there may be waits for their vaccinations and be prepared to stand in line for a period of time.

There will be congestion in the Civic Center area in the morning and afternoon of this event. Residents are encouraged to avoid the area if you will not be getting a vaccination or have business in the Civic Center area.

An additional H1N1 flu-shot clinic is planned for Downey on Dec 5th.

Further information on the H1N1 flu vaccine and virus can be found on www.cdc.gov and www.flu.gov.

Questions about the Downey H1N1 free flu shot clinic may be directed to ready@downeyca.org

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Published: November 6, 2009 - Volume 8 - Issue 29