H1N1 vaccinations begin for some

H1N1 SPECIAL SECTION
FIND A FLU CLINIC
LITTLETON - The lines were long. The wait was longer and most everyone will tell you it was worth it.

The Tri-County Health Department H1N1 vaccination clinic at Arapahoe Community College drew around 1,500 people on Friday. Many waited in line for two hours to get vaccinated.

The vaccine was offered free of charge to individuals who qualified in priority groups. That includes pregnant women, adults caring for children younger than 6 months of age, children and young adults 6 months to 24 years of age, health care providers and adults 25 to 64 years of age with medical conditions that place them at high risk.

Tri-County Health offers the vaccinations to residents of Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Douglas and Elbert Counties.

Elizabeth Carver stood in line for more than two hours to get her two children vaccinated.

"We decided that it would be worth standing in line for them to be healthy," Carver said.

She wasn't alone. The willingness of people to stand in line for that length of time is a reflection of their desire to do whatever is required to get the vaccination.

"I think it expresses some frustration about the receipt of this particular vaccine," Dr. Richard Vogt, executive director of Tri County Health, said. "We were all hoping we'd receive the vaccine in mid-October and unfortunately it is really stretching into November and will probably continue into December until we have enough for the general public."

Vogt advises individuals not qualifying for this round of vaccinations to practice safe hygiene by frequently washing their hands and covering their cough or sneeze with their arm.

Tri-County Health will conduct a full schedule of H1N1 vaccine clinics through the end of the year. You can get a full list of that schedule by visiting their Web site at www.tchd.org/flu.htm or by calling them at 303-220-9200.

You can also get information on free H1N1 clinics statewide by visiting www.immunizecolorado.com/findAFluClinic.asp.