Pregnant women and daycare workers are among those targeted to receive swine flu vaccinations during special clinics that begin this weekend.

“The vaccine is probably one of the best defenses that you can have against the flu. The target groups have been identified as high-risk priority groups just because of the amount of morbidity and mortality that has been observed in these groups. So, it’s very important that members of these target groups seek and/or obtain a flu vaccination,” said Drew Gerald, disease surveillance and response coordinator at the Orangeburg County Health Department.

Gerald said the traditional flu shot will be administered, along with a nasal mist.

“You have a choice, but not everyone qualifies for the flu mist. There are restrictions for the flu mist. Pregnant women, for example, aren’t allowed to do the flu mist,” Gerald said.

Other people outside the targeted groups will be served as more vaccine becomes available, he said. The targeted groups, as recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include pregnant women, daycare workers for children younger than six months of age and all people ages 6 months to 24 years old.

“These are the priority groups that have been at risk for transmission of H1N1,” Gerald said. He stressed that the department is operating with a limited H1N1 vaccine supply until more comes in.

“As we get in more vaccine, we’ll be able to provide for more populations. We would encourage anyone that doesn’t fit into one of those target groups to either check with their private doctor and/or some of the local pharmacies as well,” Gerald said.

Demand for the vaccine has been moderate, he said.

“We’ve been receiving phone calls about it, but we won’t really know how interested people are until we actually start having our clinic. This is the first open clinic for H1N1,” Gerald said. “We’ve had them for the regular seasonal flu vaccination.”

He said, “There have been some delays from a manufacturing standpoint, so we don’t have as much as we thought we’d have at this point. But as we receive more statewide as well as regionally, we’ll be able to provide in regards to meeting the demand.”

No appointment is necessary for the weekend clinic.

For more information, call Stacie Walling, RN, at 803-533-7275.

Flu vaccination information, clinic times and locations will be available at http://www.scdhec.gov/flu or by calling the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Immunization Division at 803-898-0460, or toll free at 1-800-277-4687.

H1N1 vaccinations will be administered during special clinics in the Edisto Savannah Public Health District.

The vaccines will be administered free and offered on a walk-in basis for the CDC-recommended groups which include: pregnant women, daycare workers for children younger than six months, health care and emergency medical services personnel and all people ages 6 months to 24 years.

Clinics will be held:

Saturday, Oct. 31 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Orangeburg County Health Department, 1550 Carolina Ave., Orangeburg.

Monday, Nov. 2 – 3-8 p.m., Bamberg County Health Department, 370 Log Branch Road, Bamberg.

Monday, Nov. 2 – 3-8 p.m., Calhoun County Health Department, 2837 Old   Belleville Road, St. Matthews.

Tuesday, Nov. 3 – 3-8 p.m., Barnwell County Public Health Department, 11015 Ellenton St., Barnwell.

Wednesday, Nov. 4 – 3-8 p.m., Holly Hill Health Department, 932 Holly St., Holly Hill.

Thursday, Nov. 5 – 3-8 p.m., Orangeburg County Health Department, 1550 Carolina Ave., Orangeburg.

DHEC is only one of many flu shot providers. Check to see if your medical practitioner is offering flu shots as well.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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