The City of Long Beach Health Department will be holding the first H1N1 flu vaccine clinic today for school aged children in cooperation with Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD).  H1N1 flu vaccine will be distributed at two local high schools this week in after school clinics.  Since youth are at high-risk of getting this strain of flu, these clinics are focused on individuals from age 3 to 18.  Cabrillo High School is holding a clinic today, and Jordan High School will be hosting a clinic tomorrow (November 5).  Both clinics will be held from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  The Health Department is working with LBUSD to hold school based clinics over the next few months at various school sites around the city.  These will be announced as they are known and as vaccine supply is available.

The Health Department will also hold the first of several community based H1N1 flu vaccine immunization clinics at the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 9 am to 4 pm.  Due to the short supply of H1N1 flu vaccine nationally, it is critical that individuals understand that vaccine will only be provided if they are in one of the following categories:

• All individuals between the age of 6 months and 24 years of age
• Caretakers of infants under 6 months of age
• Health care workers with direct patient contact
• Pregnant women 
• Adults from age 25 to age 64 with a high risk medical condition (such as lung or heart disease, etc). 

The Health Department is scheduling additional community based clinics over the next few months.  These clinics will be announced as they are known and as vaccine supply is available.  Local health care providers have been receiving deliveries of H1N1 flu vaccine in recent days, so local residents should contact their personal health care providers to determine if it is available.

In order for all of us to join in the fight to prevent flu in Long Beach, the Health Department also recommends that everyone practice healthy habits to prevent from getting or transmitting the flu:

• Wash hands with soap and water or a hand sanitizer frequently,
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick,
• Stay home from work or school if you are sick,
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze,
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and
• Eat healthy food, drink plenty of water, take vitamins, exercise, get plenty of rest, do not smoke, and avoid alcoholic beverages.

For further information, feel free to the Health Department website at http://www.longbeach.gov//health, or call the Immunization Program at (562) 570-4212, or call the 24 hour Public Health Information line at (562) 570-4499.