H1N1 vaccine restrictions lifted

Washington State public health agency administrators and health officers has decided to lift priority group restrictions and make H1N1 vaccine available to anyone who wants it. Although some Washington counties may still decide to offer vaccine to priority groups only, restrictions have been lifted in Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties.

Wahkiakum County Public Health will offer an H1N1 vaccination clinic between 9-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. on December 18 in their office at 64 Main Street, Cathlamet (basement of the county courthouse). The public can call 795-6207 or toll-free 888- 452-0326 for additional immunization times.

“We are now meeting vaccine demand among the priority groups to the extent that we can now make the vaccine available to everyone,” said Judy Bright, Director of Wahkiakum Health & Human Services. “However, we continue focusing our outreach efforts on people in priority groups and encouraging those at greatest risk to get vaccinated as soon as they can.”

Priority groups include:

• Pregnant women because they are at much higher risk of complications from H1N1.

• Healthcare workers because they can potentially infect vulnerable patients and also because increased absenteeism could reduce healthcare system capacity.

• Children ages 6 months through age 24.

• Parents and caregivers of children younger than 6 months, so they don’t pass the virus to their infants.

• Persons ages 6 months to 64 years with chronic medical conditions that could worsen with influenza, such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, immunosuppression and others.

Although the number of H1N1 influenza cases is declining nationally, health officials are urging everyone to get vaccinated for several reasons:

• H1N1 influenza is a very contagious and potentially serious disease. The best way to prevent catching or spreading H1N1 influenza is to get vaccinated.

• Because H1N1 is a new virus, we can’t predict the course of the outbreak. Although the number of cases is dropping, we could still experience additional outbreaks of H1N1 influenza later this season.

• The more people who get vaccinated, the more protection we have in the community. Even if you get a mild case of influenza, someone you infect may develop a much more severe illness with complications.