Beaumont Health Dept. to begin giving H1N1 vaccine

CITY TO BEGIN ADMINISTERING H1N1 VACCINE
800 doses available; more to arrive weekly

Beaumont - From Beaumont Health Department - The Beaumont Health Department will begin administering the H1N1 vaccine on Monday, Nov. 23, at 950 Washington Boulevard during regular hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The department will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27, for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Any Texas resident can receive the vaccine, and there is no charge. Due to anticipated high demand, patients should expect a wait. Vaccines will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to the following high-risk groups:

* Pregnant women
* Members of households with children younger than 6 months old
* Health care and emergency medical services personnel who provide direct patient care
* Children from 6 months through 4 years old
* People 5 years through 64 years old with health conditions linked to medical complications from influenza

The department has received 800 adult doses and 45 child doses of the H1N1 vaccine. Child doses are designated for those patients between 6 months and 35 months old.  Going forward, the department anticipates it will receive additional doses of the H1N1 vaccine weekly. Patients wishing to be vaccinated are encouraged to call the City’s information line at 311 (409-980-8311 on cell phones or outside the city) to check availability before coming to the health department.

The department also has 1,000 doses of seasonal vaccine available for children between 3 and 18 years old.