The Snohomish Health District has made the decision to cancel all future mass vaccination clinics and begin distributing H1N1 vaccine to doctors’ offices. The Everett Clinic will make the vaccine available to its high risk patients this Saturday, Nov. 7th. Please note supplies are very limited at this time. We expect more vaccine to arrive in the coming weeks. This Saturday (11-7-09) The Everett Clinic will hold H1N1 vaccination clinics by appointment only. Appointments will be made on a first come first serve basis through our flu hotline (425) 257-1400. Appointments will be available only to those who meet all of the following criteria:
- Patients of The Everett Clinic: This includes people who have only been seen at one of our Walk In Clinics or have only received a seasonal flu shot here.
- In a high risk target group: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined target groups based on those who are at most risk of complications from the H1N1 virus. People in the CDC target groups include:
- Pregnant women
- All persons from 6 months through 24 years of age
- Household and caregiver contacts of children younger than 6 months of age (e.g. parents, siblings, and daycare providers.)
- Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have underlying medical conditions associated with a higher risk of influenza complications
- Healthcare workers and first responders
- Teachers and Professional Child care providers (included based on Snohomish Health District recommendations)
- 64 years old or younger: At this time we can only serve people who are age 64 or younger. People who are age 65 and older do not qualify for the H1N1 vaccine during this round, even if they fall into another CDC target group (i.e. teachers, healthcare workers, childcare providers) and even if they have an underlying chronic illness. Please note H1N1 vaccinations will be available to seniors in the future.
Why are seniors being asked to wait before receiving the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine?
Vaccine is very limited at this time. We are asking seniors to wait because they are not considered a high risk priority group by the CDC. This is because many seniors have some protective antibodies (or partial immunity) to the 2009 H1N1 virus from previous flu infections and vaccinations that occurred before 1957. The predominant influenza virus that circulated from the 1918 Spanish Flu until 1958 was a H1N1 virus that is similar to the current 2009 H1N1 virus. Hence seniors are not being infected by the 2009 H1N1 virus at anywhere near the rate of younger individuals. Seniors will most likely be able to get an H1N1 flu shot by December, when more H1N1 vaccine is expected to become available.
TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT: If you meet these criteria, please call the Flu Shot Hotline at (425) 257-1400 to make an appointment for our November 7th clinic. Customer service specialists will verify eligibility and insurance information. Again, due to limited supply these appointments will be on a first come first served basis.