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School swine flu clinics to start this week

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By Dave Larsen and Anthony Gottschlich, Staff Writers Updated 11:30 AM Tuesday, October 27, 2009

DAYTON — Pregnant women and children ages 6 months to 4 years can get in line Thursday for H1N1 vaccinations at Hara Arena in Trotwood, health officials announced today, Oct. 26.

Public Health — Dayton & Montgomery County will offer both shots and nasal spray vaccines during a clinic from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., or until the vaccine is gone, the department announced. Health Commissioner Jim Gross said the department is targeting groups most at risk for the flu because of limited vaccine supply. More clinics will be held as additional supplies arrive, he said.

“It is very frustrating for everyone, including Public Health, that vaccine supplies are arriving so slowly at this point,” Gross said.

Public Health also announced that some Dayton-area school children will begin receiving the H1N1 flu vaccine on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Vaccine clinics for H1N1, also known as swine flu, are scheduled for St. Rita Catholic School in Dayton and at Incarnation Catholic School in Centerville, said Bill Wharton, spokesman for Public Health.

Details on other H1N1 flu clinics this week at area schools will be announced later today.

The swine flu vaccine is arriving slowly, “but we think we’re going to have enough to get the schools going,” Wharton said.

Wharton said Public health is receiving parental consent forms from area schools so they’ll know about how many students they will be vaccinating at each school.

“Right now we have about 14,000 units available for schools,” he said. The department is working with 173 schools in the county, each with varying participation rates, he added.

Incarnation School on Tuesday expects to immunize about 650 of its total 850 students, according to Ann Woeste, the school’s registered nurse.

“I think it will keep the kids healthier and keep them in school,” Woeste said.

St. Rita School on Tuesday expects to vaccinate nearly 80 of its total 191 students, said Veronica Murphy, the school principal.

The vaccinations “will help keep us bug-free,” Murphy said.

Public Health has H1N1 vaccine available for medical first responders and hospital workers in Montgomery County. Thursday’s clinic at Hara Arena, 1001 Shiloh Springs Road, will be the department’s first for the general, but targeted, public.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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