Placer County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will hold free, public H1N1 vaccine clinics through the month of January. Clinics in North Tahoe will be offered as follows:
• Tuesday, January 19, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m., Placer County Clinic, 8665 Salmon Avenue, Kings Beach
• Tuesday, January 26, Placer County Clinic, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m., Placer County Clinic, 8665 Salmon Avenue, Kings Beach
The community clinics are open to Placer County residents. There is no cost for any of the vaccinations. Children who need a second dose may also attend the community clinics, or may hear from their schools that clinics have been planned for them.
‘The second wave of the H1N1 influenza pandemic, which began last summer, appears to be slowing down,’ said Dr. Mark Starr, Director of Community Health and Clinics for Placer County. ‘However, most flu pandemics have multiple waves and later waves can be worse. Now is the time for anyone who hasn’t already received their vaccine to get one as we brace for a potential third wave.’
All residents are encouraged to be vaccinated against H1N1 flu — sometimes called the ‘swine flu’ — and those in the ‘target groups’ for this vaccine are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated. The target groups, as identified by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical personnel, anyone from 6 months through 24 years of age, anyone from 25 through 64 years of age with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Physicians in the community have received additional vaccine as well, so individuals may wish to contact their healthcare provider to see if they have vaccine available.
Placer County will provide information through its web site, placer.ca.gov. To receive future information about flu clinics through direct e-mail, consider signing up for the county’s free e-newsletter, available at the above web address.
You can call the California Department of Public Health H1N1 Flu Hotline at 1-888-865-0564 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed on Sundays and state holidays). You can hear recorded information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about H1N1, see the California Department of Public Health website at cdph.ca.gov.
