Vaccination sites will be targeted to specific Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend population groups and held according to availability of vaccine. Although some vaccine will begin to arrive in West Virginia and Ohio County in early October, the supply that will be used for mass vaccination sites will arrive towards the middle of the month.

One of the largest groups that will need vaccination will be children and young adults. Below is the tentative School Vaccination Sites (target population 6months – 25 years of age) for Ohio County (not in order). Times and dates will be determined by the supply of H1N1 vaccine to Ohio County and will be announced at a later time.

Warwood Middle School: (for students of the following schools) Warwood Elementary and Middle School, West Liberty Elementary School and Corpus Christi School

Bridge Street Middle School: (for students of the following schools) Bridge Street Middle School, Middle Creek Elementary School and Elm Grove Elementary School.

Triadelphia Middle School: (for students of the following schools) Steenrod Elementary School, Woodsdale Elementary School and Triadelphia Middle School

Wheeling Park High School (for students of WPHS) Wheeling Middle School: (for students of the following schools) Bethlehem Elementary School, Madison Elementary School Ritchie Elementary School and Wheeling Middle School.

WesBanco Arena: (for students of the following schools) Central Catholic High School, Wheeling Catholic Elementary School and St. Vincent Catholic Elementary School.

Linsly School: (for students of the following schools) Wheeling Country Day School, St. Michaels Catholic School and Linsly.

West Virginia Northern Community College (for students of WVNCC) Wheeling Jesuit University (for students of WJU) West Liberty University (for students of WLU)

The health department will also hold mass community vaccinations for specific targeted populations groups, including people 25-64 years of age with a medical condition, healthcare workers/EMS, pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers of kids younger than 6 months of age and the general public. Dates and times of these clinics will be determined at a later time. Community Vaccination Sites for Ohio County include:

Wheeling Park High School

Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department

WesBanco Arena

White Palace/Wheeling Park

The health department is working with several health care providers and partners to provide H1N1 vaccine to their health care employee workforce. These Health Care Vaccination Sites are limited to employees of the facility and will be held at time when the facility receives vaccine from the health department. Current Health Care Vaccination Sites include:

Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department Peterson Hospital Wheeling Renal Care OVMC Wheeling Health Right Wheeling Hospital Doctors Urgent Care Good Shepherd Nursing Home

In addition to the health department mass vaccination clinic locations, vaccine may also be provided at H1N1 Vaccine registered private physician offices. The health department will announce these locations, times and requirements at a later time

The CDC has developed recommendations on who should receive the novel 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available, and to determine which groups of the population should be prioritized if the vaccine is initially available in extremely limited quantities. The CDC is recommending vaccination efforts initially focus on 5 target groups:

vaccination for pregnant women people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age healthcare and emergency medical services personnel persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years people ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

Although early shipments of the H1N1 vaccine is anticipated, the health department anticipates the delivery of the H1N1 vaccine in early to mid October. Early shipments of the vaccine will be target to healthcare providers. The health department does not expect that there will be a shortage of novel H1N1 vaccine, but flu vaccine availability and demand can be unpredictable and there is some possibility that initially, the vaccine will be available in limited quantities.

At this point the health department is planning that two doses will be needed for children 10 years to 6 months of age. The health department is planning that individuals may need to wait 21-28 days between the first and second vaccination.

The health department does not anticipate that the H1N1 vaccination will be mandatory; rather individuals will receive recommendations on who should receive the vaccine. If the vaccine is recommended for use, those who choose vaccination for themselves or their children will be screened for contraindications to vaccination (such as an allergy to eggs ) and will receive information sheets describing the vaccine’s risks and benefits, possible adverse events associated with vaccination, and how to report these events.

The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department is advising individuals:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol based hand cleaners are also effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work, school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. If you have flu like symptoms, stay at home for at least 24 hours after you are free of a fever or signs of fever without using fever reducing medications is gone.

For more information call the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department at (304) 234-3682 or visit our website at www.ohiocountyhealth.com.