Douglas County gets more vacine for H1N1

More swine flu vaccine will soon be on its way to Douglas County and three clinics are planned this week to provide the vaccine to those who are most at risk of contracting swine flu, officially known as the H1N1 influenza.

As of Thursday, 8,100 doses of H1N1 vaccine have arrived in Douglas County, according to a news release. Douglas County Public Health expects another 3,100 doses to arrive sometime in the next week. The vaccine will be made available to registered H1N1 influenza providers and to people who are at greatest risk of contracting swine flu at three planned clinics. The priority groups, in no particular order: Those ages six months to 24 years old; pregnant women; people caring for, or living with, infants who are younger than six months of age; people from the ages of 25 to 64 who have health conditions that may put them at risk for complications from influenza — such as asthma, immune deficiencies, lung or heart disease and diabetes; health care workers and emergency medical service providers; law enforcement officers and firefighters who have frequent physical contact with the public as a part of their usual work; correction personnel in state prisons, local jails and juvenile correctional facilities who come into contact with adult or juvenile offenders; and public safety emergency telecommunications workers, including 911 call-takers and dispatchers.

The Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, State Department of Corrections, Oregon National Guard, Oregon State Hospital and Oregon Youth Authority receive their own H1N1 vaccine allocations to vaccinate their respective populations.H1N1 flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu. They include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, headache, nausea, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting due to H1N1 flu.

Most people will recover on their own after a week or so of illness and don't need to see a doctor, the release said. In other cases, though, it might be necessary to seek medical attention.

People who have severe illness or are at high risk for flu complications should contact their health care providers, the release said. People who don't have access to health care may call the Oregon Flu Hotline at 1-800-978-3040 and talk with a health information specialist.

According to the CDC, people should only seek care in the emergency room if they are very sick, the release said. If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness, that's when you should go to the emergency room.

For more information, visit the following — Oregon Flu Web site, www.flu.oregon.gov or the county Health Department Web site, www.co.douglas.or.us/health — or call the Health Department Flu Info Line at 464-3815.