ROCKFORD — Even though the number of H1N1 flu cases has dropped in recent weeks, now is the time to get protection in hopes of preventing a possible third wave of the epidemic later this winter.
That was the message today from Winnebago County Health Department Administrator Mike Bacon, who joined health officials around the country in touting immunization against the H1N1 virus and seasonal flu during National Influenza Vaccination Week.
“It’s a great opportunity to remind folks that a good majority of our community is still unprotected by virtue of not being vaccinated for either seasonal flu or the pandemic strain of the 2009 H1N1 virus,” Bacon said at the first of three H1N1 clinics the department is offering this week.
“It’s not too late. The vaccine is available in a variety of venues — many health care providers and even pharmacies have it available — so there is no excuse in terms of accessibility.”
Bacon urged residents to seek flu shots even they have already had the flu this season. “You don’t know what strain you had,” he said. “You still need to get vaccinated for both seasonal flu and the H1N1.”
Sue Fuller, communications and marketing manager for the Health Department, said more than 3,000 residents have received vaccinations since mid-December, when the department opened its 24-hour line at 800-649-2381 to make appointments at department clinics.
She also said the total number of county residents who have received H1N1 vaccinations through the department is more than 30,000, counting children who were vaccinated in the schools.
She said the department will be returning to schools over the next 19 days to give second shots to children age 9 and younger who received their first shot at school.
“That was big job,” Bacon said of the in-school vaccinations, “and hats off to the schools and to our staff who carried that off so well, and to the parents who voluntarily agreed to have their kids vaccinated. It looks, now, that we have reached about 37 percent of the school-age population in the community. We would not have come remotely close to that number if we had not assumed the school vaccination strategy.”
The department’s other two appointment-only H1N1 vaccination clinics this week are from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Hilander Village shopping center, 4912 Hononegah Road in Roscoe; and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Washington Park Community Center, 3617 Delaware St.
Bacon said the department plans to continue scheduling clinics throughout the rest of winter.
Staff writer Mike DeDoncker can be reached at 815-987-1382 or mdedoncker@rrstar.com.
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