The Cedartown office of Polk County Health Department will hold an H1N1 (swine flu) vaccination clinic Thursday, Dec. 3 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 5:30 PM, at the health department, 125 E. Ware St., Cedartown.

The H1N1 vaccine will be offered on a walk-in basis while supplies last to individuals in priority groups recommended by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which are include pregnant women, care givers of infants less than 6 months of age, children and young adults aged 6 months to 24 years, persons aged 25 - 64 years who have medical conditions that put them at risk and health care and emergency medical service workers.

Beginning Monday, Dec. 7, the Cedartown office of the health department will be offering swine flu vaccinations by appointment only. Clients should call 770-749-2270 to schedule an appointment.

The health department’s Rockmart office will continue to offer the vaccine on a walk-in basis each Thursday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 5:30 p.m. No appointments can be made, but clients may call the health department at 770-684-1385 for information.

“Children nine years of age and younger who received their first shot or nasal spray earlier are due for a second dose,” said health department Nurse Manager Malindy Ely. “We encourage parents to bring these children to the health department now to receive this second dose. We have thimerosal-free formula on hand for those who prefer not to use vaccine with the preservative in it.”

“We’ve received a 1,400-dose shipment, so we’ve got plenty of vaccine for people in the priority groups and expect to eventually have enough so that everyone who wants to receive the H1N1 vaccine will be able to do so,” Ely states.

According to Ely, if the state doesn’t see much demand by the target populations, steps will begin to open it up to others who want the vaccine.

Although the pandemic seems to be slowing, with fewer cases being reported in Georgia. Nationally, residents should remain on guard.

“What we typically see in a pandemic are a series of waves,” Ely explained. “Our concern is that holiday gatherings and travel will give the influenza virus a chance to infect more people and trigger another wave.”

While most people who catch H1N1 recover at home without medical treatment, the pandemic has claimed around 4,000 lives in the United States, including nearly 600 child fatalities, according to the CDC.

According to Ely, the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine is free; however, clients are asked to please bring their private insurance, Medicare, Medicare supplement, PeachCare or Medicaid card as a small administration fee may be charged to their insurance. "No client will be billed or expected to pay," Ely stresses and adds "clients with no insurance will not be charged or expected to pay."

Addressing concerns about H1N1 vaccine safety, Ely cites CDC reports that “so far everything they’ve reviewed looking for adverse events is extremely reassuring about the safety of the H1N1 vaccine. They’re seeing pretty much what we see for seasonal flu vaccines -- a sore arm or redness in the arm, a little tenderness, effects that are quite common with any injected vaccine.

The H1N1 vaccine has been produced essentially the same way by the same companies in the same plants that make our seasonal flu vaccine each year, and hundreds of millions of doses of seasonal flu vaccine have been given with an excellent safety record. We don’t expect the H1N1 vaccine to be any different.”

For more information about H1N1, visit, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention or Georgia Department of Community Health.