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NEWS
H1N1 informational meeting clears hype on flu
HUNTINGTON -- The public had its chance to ask the Cabell-Huntington Health Department questions about the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine during an informational meeting on Monday in the Don Morris Room in the Marshall University Student Center.
Dr. Harry Tweel, director of the health department, spoke during the event and was on hand to answer any questions fielded to him by the audience. The presentation on H1N1 was heard by only a handful of people, which mostly consisted of four Marshall journalism students.
Tweel said he wished more people would have attended the meeting. Students younger than 25, he said in his presentation, were the group mostly likely to contract the swine flu. About 58 percent of people who have contracted the swine flu are 25 years old or younger.
The informational meeting was an opportunity to dispel any misconceptions about the swine flu.
"I'd hoped there would be more people here because I've heard the hype going around campus," Tweel said. "There's some crazy stuff (on the Internet) and when I read it I was like, 'Where do you come up with this?'"
Elizabeth Ayers, public information officer for the health department, said they are awaiting positive confirmation from the state health department to distribute H1N1 vaccine to the general public. Ayers said she hopes to be able to begin distributing the vaccine to all age groups by the end of December.
The seasonal flu injectable vaccine is available to children under 3 years old, Ayers said. The seasonal flu mist is available to healthy children from 2 to 18 years old, she said.
Ayers said the Cabell-Huntington Health Department has requested more seasonal flu vaccine for all age groups but is unsure when they will receive them.
Upcoming H1N1 clinics in Cabell County
The following H1N1 clinics are open to all high-risk individuals who live or work in Cabell County:
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, Cam Henderson Center at Marshall University.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, Cam Henderson Center at Marshall.
These are the high-risk criteria: Pregnant women and nursing mothers, people who live with or care for children under 6 months, children 6 months to 24 years, adults ages 24 to 64 who have chronic health conditions (chronic heart or lung disease, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, anemia, neurologic/neuromuscular, immunosuppression caused by HIV or medication, cancer, leukemia or other blood disorders not including high blood pressure), and health care workers who provide direct patient care with acutely ill patients.
