” Free H1N1 vaccines will be available in Health Services in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center next week and the week after. The H1N1 vaccines will be available in two vaccine clinics. The first clinic, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 24, will be from 11 a.”
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Free H1N1 vaccines will be available in Health Services in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center next week and the week after.

The H1N1 vaccines will be available in two vaccine clinics. The first clinic, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 24, will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The second clinic will be on Tuesday, Dec. 1 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

At the clinics, Flumist, a nasal mist of the H1N1 vaccine, will be available. The Flumist vaccine is a weakened live virus vaccine. It is made from a live virus, but it is designed not to cause the flu. The Flumist vaccine prevents H1N1 just as a regular vaccine would, but without the needle. The Flumist version of the vaccine will be encouraged at the clinics for those who are able to receive the vaccine in that way.

The free vacinations will be available to those individuals in one of the Centers for Disease Control’s Tier 1 risk categories. According to the CDC, anyone age 18 through 24 years of age, health care and emergency workers with direct patient contact, or anyone age 25 to 64 with medical conditions or a weak immune system are considered in a Tier 1 risk category.

Although pregnant women are also considered to be in a Tier 1 risk category, vaccinations for pregnant women will not be available. Pregnant women who want to receive the H1N1 vaccine should contact their doctor.

The Akron Health Department and Student Health Services request that the tier risk categories, as set by the Ohio Department of Health and the CDC, be respected and that only those individuals in a Tier 1 risk category attend the vacination clinics at this time.

Appointments are not needed to get the vaccine and it will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Individuals in the the Tier 1 risk categories who want to receive the vaccination are encouraged to preregister with the Ohio Department of Health Web site in order to speed up the process. Those individuals who do preregister should print and bring in their preregistration forms to the clinic when they come in for the vaccine.

For more information about H1N1 or the H1N1 vaccination, call the Akron Health Department’s Flu Hotline at 330-375-2876.

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