City Health Dept. Successfully
Vaccinates Over 42,000 People
H1N1 Flu Shots Expand to West Side Site
The Chicago Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) drive to protect Chicagoans from H1N1 flu continues to succeed, with health workers vaccinating over 42,000 men, women and children in just six days at six sites across the city.
“We are preventing disease and saving lives. This is public health work at its best,” stated Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Terry Mason, M.D. “This mass vaccination drive is going as well we planned it to be, and I want to thank everyone making it happen—from our top-level leadership to our front-line workers, and everyone in between. I also thank Mayor Daley for his ongoing support, as well as other City agencies and sister agencies, including the City Colleges of Chicago.”
To date, CDPH has offered vaccinations at six sites for those Chicagoans at increased risk for flu and flu complications:
** pregnant women
** all children and young adults ages 6 months to 24 years
** people who live with and/or care for infants younger than 6 months of age
** people age 25-64 with chronic health conditions (like asthma or diabetes).
** health care workers
The six locations are:
** Kennedy King College, 740 W. 63rd Street
** Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn
** Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski
** Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson
** Arturo Velasquez Institute, 2800 S. Western
** Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett
The locations are open to serve Chicago residents at increased risk on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, through November 19.
Hours of operation are 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturdays.
Expanding Access: 7th Flu Shot Site Opens
To expand access for all Chicagoans, CDPH will offer H1N1 flu vaccinations on Saturdays, November 7, 14 and 21—from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.—at Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Van Buren.
“We take this flu pandemic seriously, and we are committed to making H1N1 flu vaccinations as accessible as possible to all Chicago residents,” explained Suzet McKinney, Dr.PH, CDPH Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response. “Right on the Eisenhower Expressway, Malcolm X College is easily accessible to the entire West Side, as well as other parts of the city.”
No appointments are necessary, and all vaccinations will be delivered free of charge, on a first come/first served basis.
People who are allergic to eggs should not receive the vaccination.
In addition to doctors’ offices and public health vaccination sites, H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available at retail pharmacies in the weeks ahead—-giving Chicagoans ample opportunities to get vaccinated. To date since early October, some 327,600 doses of H1N1 vaccine have arrived in the city at over 500 providers—including hospitals, clinics, pediatricians, obstetricians, family practitioners, and more. About 80,000 additional doses arrive each week.
College students in the city are advised to check in with their campus health service to see when H1N1 vaccinations will be offered.
“Vaccination is a smart, safe and effective public health intervention,” added Joshua D. Jones, M.D., CDPH Medical Director of Electronic Disease Surveillance. “Every week, thousands of doses of H1N1 vaccine are arriving in the city. Assuming that vaccine production continues as anticipated, it is fair to say that every Chicagoan who wants an H1N1 vaccination will be able to get one in the weeks and months to come.”
In addition to getting a flu vaccination, CDPH officials advise all Chicagoans to:
…make an extra effort to cover coughs and sneezes, and wash hands regularly with soap and water.
…stay home from work and/or school if you have influenza-like symptoms (coughing, sore throat and a fever).
…remind parents of young children to teach these good health habits to their sons and daughters—and to plan ahead and make home-care arrangements for their children on days when they are ill and should be kept home from school or day care.
For local information on flu prevention, go online to www.cityofchicago.org/swineflu.
For a national perspective on the flu pandemic, visit www.flu.gov.
For an international perspective, visit www.who.int.