The Cedartown office of the Polk County Health Department gave all 500 doses of the injectable H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine it had received, as well as 150 doses of the intranasal "FluMist" vaccine, at flu-vaccine clinics Wednesday and Thursday and currently has no more H1N1 vaccine remaining.

However, the Rockmart office, 320 Water St., which has given 230 doses of the injectable H1N1 vaccine, still has 70 doses of the injectable vaccine and 100 doses of the nasal mist remaining, which will be given on a walk-in basis next Thursday, November 12, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 5:30 p.m.

"We wish we had more to give right now and expect to be getting more of the injectable H1N1 vaccine," said Nurse Manager Malindy Ely, Polk Health Department.

Ely reminds the public that the H1N1 flu shots are being given initially to individuals in priority, high-risk groups. According to Ely, priority individuals, as recommended by the CDC, are:

· 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, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease and immunosuppressive disorders, that put them at risk and

· health care and emergency medical service workers.

Ely says a large number of people not in one of the priority groups, especially individuals over the age of 65, showed up at the health department expecting to get the H1N1 flu shot and were frustrated when told they were not yet eligible for the vaccine.

Ely emphasized that H1N1 is a younger person's disease. Persons over age 65 are not included in the CDC's priority, high-risk groups and are being asked to wait until those in high-risk groups receive their vaccine first.

"Unlike seasonal flu, where 90% of deaths caused by flu complications are in people over 65, 90% of H1N1 fatalities are in persons under age 65. In fact, the average age of Polk County's nineteen confirmed cases is just 24," Malindy says. She reiterated there will eventually be enough H1N1 vaccine for everyone who wants to receive it to do so.