The Fairfax County Health Department will operate a mass vaccination clinic on Saturday, November 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035). The vaccine is voluntary and will be offered on a walk-in basis, free of charge. Seasonal flu vaccine will not be available at this clinic.
This clinic will target people in the CDC priority groups who have not yet received their first dose of H1N1 vaccine:
- Pregnant women
- People who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months (parents, siblings and day care providers)
- Health care workers who have direct patient contact
- People 6 months through 24 years of age
- People 25 years through 64 years of age who have certain medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications:
- Asthma
- Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions (including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability (mental retardation), moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury)
- Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis)
- Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
- Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
- Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
- Kidney disorders
- Liver disorders
- Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
- Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, cancer, or those on chronic steroids)
- People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
Parents seeking a second dose of H1N1 vaccine for their children (who are under 10 years of age and received a first dose of H1N1 vaccine at least 28 days ago) may choose to receive vaccine through: (A) one of the Health Department’s five District Offices starting November 23; (B) this mass vaccination clinic; or (C) their health care provider if they have H1N1 vaccine. Parents must bring the “Influenza Vaccination Record” card, that they received when the first dose was administered, to the vaccination site.
The Health Department has the capacity to vaccinate a maximum of 12,000 people on November 21. To help reduce crowds and keep the line moving, only those who are in the target group to be vaccinated should plan to come to the clinic.
In DC, there is an H1N1 vaccination clinic at North Michigan Park (1333 Emerson St. NW) Bald Eagle Recreation Center (100 Joliet St. SW), open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21.
The H1N1 vaccine clinics will continue to serve the following priority groups in every ward once a week for the next two weeks:
• Pregnant women and youth ages 6 months to 24 years
• Adults with underlying health conditions such as asthma and diabetes
• Caregivers of children under 6 months
• Healthcare workers
The vaccine is now expected to arrive at pharmacies after the week of November 23. DOH will continue to update District residents as it gets new information regarding H1N1 and vaccine availability. Residents can still find regular updates and additional information on H1N1 at flu.dc.gov or by calling the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center at 311.
To prevent coming down with the flu before getting the vaccine and spreading the virus after receiving the vaccine residents are reminded to continue following these simple steps:
- Cover your cough with your elbow or a tissue
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water
- Stay home if you are sick
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
