600 H1N1 vaccines available; call health department Tuesday morning

Published 10/26/09

The county Department of Health will begin offering appointments for both the mist and injectable forms of the H1N1 vaccine first thing tomorrow morning, officials said.

Starting at 8:30 a.m., operators will begin taking calls at 410-222-4896, according to the department's Twitter page. The vaccine against H1N1, or swine flu, is available only for the following priority groups at this time: pregnant women; those who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months old; health care and emergency medical services personnel; healthy people aged 6 months to 24 years old; and anyone aged 25 to 64 with a chronic medical condition or compromised immune system. Pregnant women and those with a chronic medical condition or compromised immune system can only receive the injectable form of the vaccine.

There will be 600 appointments available, which will be scheduled at the department's Annapolis, Glen Burnie or Odenton health centers. As more vaccine arrives over the next few weeks, the Department will continue to schedule clinics.

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No luck - 2009-10-27 11:37:36

I understand the county is doing all they can with very limited supply, but it was extremely frustrating to call non stop for almost 3 hours this morning and not be able to get through. All the appointments are now full.

I will continue to send my 1 year old to daycare and keep crossing my fingers that he doesn't catch it before I am able to find him a vaccine.

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susan S. - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

Vaccines... - 2009-10-27 07:49:25

The potential to contract H1N1 for those over 64 is dramatically less than the potential for younger people... Just read or watch the news to see the heartbreaking stories of "teens" suddenly afflicted by this disease.

Those of us with more "life experience" should be happy, that for once we are on the "good side" of the probability curve. Regardless of age or condition, we all should gratefully stand aside and allow those at greater risk to move to the front of the line. That use to be the "American Way" !

It's a shame ignorance isn't painful !

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jim T. - pasadena, md - Karma: Neutral

H1N1 - 2009-10-26 18:24:15

I am 69 yrs old and have a heart transplant, and my wife is my care taker. Ther is no mention in any of the articles I have read that ANYONE over the age of 64 can get that shot. Why are we (of that age group) being discriminated against? Is this part of Obama's plan to weed out the elderly to get them off of medicare?

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Norman Cutsail - Baltimore (AACO.), Md - Karma: Neutral