The swine flu vaccine, which is administered via nasal spray or injection, is primarily targeted to healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49, with an emphasis on children younger than 10, who are recommended to receive two doses about a month apart.
Health officials recommend that young people and those who have contact with infants younger than 6 months old should receive the vaccine, as the virus has spread in September and October, even though the usual height of flu season in California is February, Santa Cruz County health officer Poki Namkung said earlier this week.
“This never happens here,” Namkung said.
Health officials also say people younger than 50 are more susceptible to the H1N1 strain than to the normal flu.
There have been more than 343,200 documented cases worldwide, with the majority of cases in people under the age of 50.
“These cases are among young people, not the elderly,” Namkung said.
Namkung said the vaccination will be shipped directly to private health care providers. Those without insurance can attend a free vaccination clinic that will open Oct. 19 at the county Health Services Agency, 1080 Emeline Ave., in Santa Cruz. The clinic will be open from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Felton’s Lloyd Landes already made sure his 6-year-old son, Thomas, got the first of two doses of the vaccine.
“My kids are my life,” Landes said. “I don’t take chances with my kids. And I haven’t heard a good argument against (the vaccine) that makes much sense.”
The county will also sponsor large-scale vaccination clinics in November and December. The dates have not been set, but Namkung hopes to vaccinate 5,000 people each day.
“I can’t say how important it is for children, pregnant women and caregivers of children under 6 months old to be vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available,” Namkung said.
For information: www.santacruzhealth.org/swineflu.
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