NNB News

Photo by Paul Wang

By Caitlin Reagan

St. Petersburg-The health departments and businesses of Midtown are preparing for the H1N1 vaccine by staying informed in order to make any necessary changes.

“The first wave of vaccines will be targeted to individuals who fall into the high-risk categories,” said Cheryl Robinson, director of Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center.

Pinellas County Health Department’s program surveillance coordinator Andrea Dopico explained the high-risk groups.  These individuals are susceptible to contracting H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.  They include public health workers, pediatricians and obstetricians, pregnant women, anyone providing care or living with children under 6 months of age, individuals between 6 months of age and 24 years of age, and any individual with health conditions that might compromise their immune system.

The H1N1 vaccine will be distributed as a nasal spray or injection. Johnnie Ruth Clarke and Pinellas County plan to carry both forms of the vaccination.

Jackie Lang, owner of Imagination Station Daycare, explains that despite the recent hype about swine flu there has not been a single case connected to her daycare.  She does not plan to change daily operations of the facility too dramatically in preparation.

“We won’t do a lot more than we normally do—we clean and we sanitize twice daily with bleach, water and solution. We may sanitize our toys more frequently as [the children] put those in their mouth,” Lang said. “But that’s pretty much about it,” she said.

Recently, Imagination Station received several newsletters from the health department regarding H1N1.

“We have passed those newsletters on to the parents…but we won’t make [vaccination] a requirement,” she said.

Lang remains uncertain as to whether she will be vaccinated, but plans to contact her primary care physician.

“I’ve never had the flu. I may have to be a good trooper and take [the shot] for the children so they won’t be as terrified and reluctant as I might be,” she said.

Sweetbay Supermarket in Midtown does not plan on having the H1N1 vaccine on its shelves.  Lisa Davis, pharmacy manager, said that the store does not have pharmacists certified to give the vaccinations. Dr. Davis said that Sweetbay plans to carry medicines such as Tamiflu, which treats the symptoms of the flu, to cater to the patients who decide not to get vaccinated.

“If patients receive the vaccination from public health departments, it will be free,” Dopico explained. If you receive the vaccination from a private care provider, such as Johnnie Ruth Clarke, there may be an administrative fee.