"We have 1,000 doses of adult vaccine and 200 doses of vaccine for children available through the Sequoyah County Health Department," Linda Hattaway, Sequoyah County Health Department administrator, said
The health department plans to distribute its doses of adult vaccine from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at 612 North Oak St. in Sallisaw. Hattaway said people should wear short-sleeve shirts and bring Medicare cards, if applicable. All other clinics at the Sequoyah County Health Department are cancelled on Tuesday. Children can be seen as a drop-in any weekday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hattaway said the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) announced that it received a shipment of 102,500 doses of adult influenza vaccine to be targeted for adults at high risk of complications from influenza. That shipment and additional vaccine for high-risk children have been distributed to county health departments to help meet local needs. Vaccine may also be available through private providers.
According to recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, groups most at risk of complications from influenza include all children from the age of six to 23 months, adults who are 65 and older, people who are two to 64 years old with underlying chronic medical conditions, all women who will be pregnant during the influenza season, and children who are six months to 18 years old who are on chronic aspirin therapy.
"Influenza season in Oklahoma usually lasts from October through March and we are proceeding on schedule despite the national influenza vaccine shortage, which is good news for those at high-risk of influenza complications," Hattaway said.
Healthy people from the age of five to 49 should check with their health care providers to see if they are eligible to receive the FluMist" inhaled vaccine as an alternative to the influenza shot.
For information about the influenza shot clinic schedules for high-risk adults and children, contact the health department at (918) 775-6201.
