DHSS Press Release

H1N1 SHOTS AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND FOR HIGH RISK DELAWAREANS

About 600 vaccination appointments for those most at risk for H1N1 are still available for this weekend's vaccination clinics in Kent and Sussex counties.

As of Tuesday evening, all 994 slots for the Saturday clinic in New Castle County had already been filled, but 82 appointments remained for the Kent County clinic at Del Tech-Terry campus between 1 and 8 p.m. Friday and 534 appointments remained available for the Sussex County clinic at Del Tech-Owens between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday. "Scheduling appointments for the vaccinations provides efficiency and convenience for those needing the shot," says Dr. Karyl Rattay, Director of the Division of Public Health. "We want to avoid people who are already at high risk for the flu having to stand in long lines in the cold and rain."

To make an appointment, Delawareans in the target groups can call 1-866-408-1899 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Those target groups are:

• Infants and children 6 months to 4 years of age
• Pregnant women
• Those 5 to 64 years of age with chronic conditions diagnosed and documented by a physician. Individuals must have had regular medical follow-up or been hospitalized during the preceding year. Chronic conditions include heart disease (except high blood pressure), diabetes, asthma and other diseases of the lung, kidney and liver disease, neurological or neuromuscular disorders, blood disorders, cancer and weakened immune systems due to cancer treatment, medications and HIV/AIDS

Callers this week have also made appointments for clinics to be held in all three counties in mid-December, many for the second vaccination doses that are recommended for children under 10.

Dr. Rattay estimates less than 5 percent of the appointments made were by pregnant women, with the rest about evenly split between the groups of children age 6 months to 4 years old and individuals 5 to 64 with chronic conditions.

For additional information about both H1N1 and seasonal vaccines, please see our website at www.flu.delaware.gov

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.