Adults under 65 can get H1N1 vaccine this weekend

CHAMPAIGN – Kids and teens have had their H1N1 vaccinations. Now, it's Mom's and Dad's turn.

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is teaming up with Carle Clinic to offer adults ages 64 and younger their first chance for an H1N1 vaccination this weekend.

Here are the details:

– A drive-through clinic with six lanes of nurses will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the public health parking lot at 201 W. Kenyon Road, C.

– A walk-in clinic will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday inside Lincoln Square Village, Urbana.

Under original government priorities for H1N1 vaccine distribution, the first vaccinations offered to adults ages 25-64 were to be limited to those with chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes.

But local public health officials are opening up vaccinations to all adults 64 and under because they have a plentiful vaccine supply and figure it will be impossible to enforce health restrictions on adults showing up for a vaccination.

Pryde said another factor in opening up vaccinations to all adults 64 and under is that all children and teens wishing to be vaccinated will have had the opportunity by the end of the day Thursday, when school vaccinations throughout Champaign County are set to conclude.

Plus, she said, "we have loads of vaccine."

Pryde said she expects to have more than 10,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine on hand for the two weekend clinics because her department has been taking all unwanted vaccine – much of it the nasal mist intended only for healthy people ages 2-49 – from other health departments around the state.

Over age 49 and healthy? There will also be injectable vaccine on hand this weekend for those adults who can't take the nasal mist, she said.

Under government guidelines, the vaccine still can't be administered to older adults 65 and over, Pryde said, but for those younger, "we will not turn anyone away."

Categories (3):News, Miscellaneous, Health

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