ADDITIONAL FLU VACCINE AVAILABLE IN ORANGE COUNTY

(Santa Ana) –The Orange County Health Care Agency has received 22,000 additional doses of flu vaccine from the California Department of Health Services. Facilities that will receive the new supply of vaccine include skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities and community clinics around the county. In addition, eight free flu vaccine clinics for the public will be offered at six Senior Centers and two hospitals (see the attached list for dates and times).

This supply will add significantly to the number of doses already received by the county. However, only persons in the high-risk groups defined by the Centers for Disease Control can receive flu vaccine at this time.

The vaccine will only be given to the following groups of high-risk Orange County individuals:

• Adults 65 years and older
• People from 18 to 64 years of age with chronic medical conditions (Requiring regular medical care or a hospital stay in the last year for one of the following: heart disease; diabetes; lung disease, including asthma; kidney disease; sickle cell disease and related blood diseases and immune system weak from diseases, like cancer, or medications)
• Pregnant women
• Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities
• Health care workers who provide direct patient care
• Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months old

Please note that some doctors may be purchasing additional flu vaccine for children. Parents of children in high-risk categories should check with their children’s doctor or call the Health Care Agency’s Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448.  High risk children as defined by the CDC include those from 6 to 23 months old; children who are household contacts with babies less than 6 months old; children 2 – 18 years of age with chronic medical conditions or who are on long-term aspirin therapy.

Information about the flu vaccine clinic locations is also available at the Health Care Agency’s Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448 or visit www.ochealthinfo.com.

(See attached page for flu vaccine locations)

SENIOR CENTER FLU CLINICS IN ORANGE COUNTY

 November 30 – December 9, 2004 

HOSPITAL FLU CLINICS IN ORANGE COUNTY 

November 30 – December 4, 2004

Vaccines will be administered on a "first come- first serve" basis until the
supply runs out or the clinic ends.

# # #