The village announced today that it is collaborating with the DuPage County Health Department to bring an H1N1 vaccination clinic to Downers Grove South High School, 1436 Norfolk St., on Sunday, Dec. 13.
A second clinic is scheduled for the College of DuPage on Dec. 12. The clinics are specifically for people in the high-priority groups: pregnant women, those who live with or care for infants younger than six months, health care and emergency medical personnel, anyone between six months and 24 years old, and those aged 25 through 64 with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Vaccinations are free, but appointments are required and may be made by calling the hotline at 1-866-311-1123 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Walk-ins will not be accepted.
Callers may expect to get a busy signal and are encouraged to call during off-peak hours. I called repeatedly for an appointment for my kids three weeks ago and eventually got through about 1 a.m. It pays to be a night owl when the H1N1 vaccine is at stake.
The good news is that the health department has steam-lined the vaccination experience. Our appointment was for last evening at the Lombard clinic and we arrived to find various stations at which we filled out the necessary paperwork and waited briefly for the vaccination.
The health department only had FluMist available at the time I called, which was fine by my cowardly children. By the time we arrived, shots were again available and I was thrilled to get one.
All told, a very painless process.
I’ll admit to having some misgivings about getting the vaccine in place of others of higher priority, but when the clinic staff offered, I gratefully accepted, particularly since I have gimpy lungs and already missed the seasonal flu shot this year. However, today I’m feeling guilty.
“Our goal is to distribute H1N1 vaccine as quickly as we can to reduce and prevent disease activity,’ said Maureen McHugh, executive director of the county health department.
Eventually, the government has promised to make the vaccine available to every American who wants it. More information is available through the county health department’s influenza hotline at 630-221-7600 or at www.protectdupage.org.
When they get far enough down the list to middle aged guys, I’ll be happy to get one. Until then I’ll take my chances and let Moms and kids and seniors and everyone else go first. I’m tall, I can see from the back of the room…
The DuPage County Health Department has been a model of efficiency regarding the distribution of the vaccine, especially compared to neighboring counties. Sure, getting through on the hotline was like dialing to be caller 25 for U2 tickets, but once connected the process was drama free.
Now if only we can keep our kids flu free for another week..
It seems it may be to late, flu has been running wild at Pierce Downer School. This week there were over 65 students out sick. Have not heard any numbers from the other schools in the district.
An earlier commenter also described heavy absences at her kids’ school and expressed frustration that the district seems disinclined to close schools.
I was told by D58 that schools will continue to operate as long as they are able, i.e. as long as there is adequate staff and students.
They will keep the schools open as long as they can. Their precious government funding depends on it. Still love your government controlling education?
Trish, get in the know. Whittier, Hillcrest, Kingsley, Indian Trail and Highland were hit for the past 4 weeks. Nothing new. It was in the paper. As Mark mentioned the county has done a good job on distribution and how they have handled it.
Actually, Chad, schools have a dispensation to close as needed without facing a loss of state funding. As long as the entire district isn’t closed, they get the state aid and don’t have to make up days missed to H1N1.
Ok so the goal is to keep at least one building open at all cost then? Just wondering.
FYI: here’s the link to the Illinois State Board of Education guidelines.
I am not a fan of the ISBE. They were created to take control away from local school districts. I keep saying it. We need major education reform and the first order of business is getting rid of the federal and state board of Eds!
Elaine,
Thanks so much for posting this important information. Just made appointments for my three kids this morning!
Park District Preschool has had its run of the flu with many little ones out sick too. Our ped told us H1N1 is the only flu going around right now. Our house had it and we all came through fine.
My College (Eastern Illinois) we have had swine flu issues (400 as of Nov 1st) rumor was running ramped that we’d close which they nicked pretty quickly. Now the Swine Flu Shot Clinics were a bust from what I heard to the point where they had to hold an extra one. I am NOT getting the shot nuff said!
Huh?
FYI… The CDC’s website indicates that flu season…has peaked and is in decline.
The worse may still be yet to come. Scary, scary, scary. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/140492/Million-hit-by-plague-worse-than-swine-flu
Wow! 189 deaths from 1 million+ cases! That’s a death rate of almost 0.02% – almost as bad as toe fungus. Of 46 million Ukranians, only 4 in a million (0.41 per 100,000) have died. That ranks it about 55th on the annual mortality rate charts, just above tetanus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_causes_of_death_by_rate
Here’s the latest on the Ukraine flu from the World Health Organization. Sounds like it’s H1N1, slightly mutated:
Preliminary genetic sequencing shows that the virus is similar to the virus used for production of the pandemic influenza vaccine, reconfirming the vaccine’s efficacy at this time.
I am just saying EJ, the government has people in a panic over the Flu! I am going to make t-shirts that say “I survived the 2009 H1N1 Flu Pandemic” There is said it, its mine and no one else can copy me! LOL