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Health Departments to stay open late to give H1N1 shots

By Jennifer Emert - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) –  Even though supplies are low the health department will extend its hours to give out the H1N1 vaccine.

Once this batch is gone, South Georgia health officials urge you to check with your private physician because they're expected to get the next shipment. County health departments in the Albany region plan to stay open until 7:30 Thursday night, if supplies hold out. Dougherty County likely has the most vaccines, and they've only got 100 doses of the H1N1 shot. Health officials encourage everyone in the target groups to get vaccinated. That includes pregnant women, kids and young adults, health care workers and anyone with an underlying health condition. Others should wait.

"We hope that the people who don't have to get the shots that can go with the nasal mist because we have more of that will go ahead and that route and leave the shots for the ones that can't take the nasal mist and are at significant risk of developing a bad sickness," said Carolyn Maschke, Southwest Georgia Health Department.

Health officials encourage you to call your health department before you show up to ensure they haven't run out of vaccine. While the number of flu cases are down lately, there are still 14 times more cases for this early in flu season than normal.

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