New York City Hosts Third Weekend of H1N1 Vaccination Clinics

  City Hosts Third Weekend of H1N1 Vaccination Clinics

  Two-day vaccination centers will operate in all five boroughs this weekend

November 20, 2009 – For the third time this month, Health Department will conduct H1N1 vaccination clinics in all five boroughs this Saturday and Sunday (November 21 and 22). People in the following groups will be able to receive vaccine at these clinics:

·        Pregnant women

·        Anyone 4 through 24 years old

·        People 25 through 64 with health conditions that make influenza more dangerous. These include asthma, diabetes, chronic heart and lung conditions, kidney failure, or a weakened immune system.

·        Anyone who lives with or cares for children less than 6 months old

·        Health care workers who have direct contact with patients and cannot receive vaccine through their employers.

This list is the same as in previous weekends except for the addition of the health care workers who work in direct contact with patients. Most health care workers can be vaccinated against H1N1 influenza by their employers and the Health Department is encouraging employers to vaccinate their own health care workers, but if employers do not have vaccine, health care workers can be vaccinated at these weekend clinics.

The Health Department’s weekend clinics cannot serve children under 4, but most regular vaccination sites can. For a full directory of clinics where H1N1 vaccine is available, New Yorkers can call 311 or visit nyc.gov/flu.

“If you belong to any of these priority groups, and you don’t have access to H1N1 vaccine through a primary health care provider, we urge you to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Dr. Thomas Farley , New York City Health Commissioner. “Getting immunized is the best way to prevent the spread of infection.”

Weekend H1N1 vaccination clinics will not be held Thanksgiving weekend (November 28-29) but will continue over two more weekends in December. Each clinic will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The clinics are designed to accommodate large numbers of people, but outdoor lines are possible, so visitors should dress for inclement weather. Anyone under 18 must present a signed parental consent form, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

More information about H1N1 influenza, and the City’s vaccination efforts, is available at nyc.gov/flu or cdc.gov/h1n1flu/. Please see below for locations of the five clinics operating this weekend.

Source: NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE

Thomas Farley, M.D., M.P.H.

Commissioner         

Weekend Vaccination Sites for November 21 and 22

Bronx

Brooklyn

Manhattan

Queens

Staten Island