RHINELANDER - The Oneida County Health Department is urging anyone within a high risk group to get the H1N1, or Swine Flu vaccine.

Linda Conlon is the Director of the Oneida County Health Department.

She says the department is currently giving out the H1N1 vaccine, but only to people within specific target groups.

These are people who live with or care for children under six months old, anyone six months to four years old and health workers with direct patient care.

She says it's their goal to eventually give the vaccine to anyone who wants it, "But at this point we are just not receiving enough H1N1 vaccine to do that so, again, we have to target certain populations that are at the highest risk first, and then we'll continue to broaden those people as vaccine comes in."

Conlon says the health department is also strongly urging anyone five to 24 years old with a chronic health problem and pregnant women to get the vaccine from their own healthcare provider.

Conlon adds the department has been giving the H1N1 vaccine for a few weeks, with no major side effects.

She says the vaccine is safe and is made the same way as the Seasonal Flu vaccine.

Conlon also strongly recommends everyone get the Seasonal Flu vaccine.

The Health Department is offering H1N1 vaccines to people in the aforementioned target groups Monday through Thursday from 8:30am - 4:00pm.

For more information click on the link to the Oneida County Health Department's website.

Elsewhere in Vilas County, the Vilas County Health Department is holding an H1N1 clinic for high-risk groups.

The targeted H1N1 vaccine clinic will be held next Saturday from 9 am until noon at the
St. Germain Fire House.

For more information log onto the Vilas County Health Department's Website along with the site for the Centers for Disease Control.



Related Weblinks: Oneida County Health Department Site
Vilas County Health Department Site
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention