By Connie Leonard - bio | email
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - The death toll in Kentucky from the H1N1 virus continues to rise. The latest victim is a Boone County man in his 20’s. Unlike most, health officials say this victim had no underlying health conditions. It is the Kentucky's 20th death attributed to swine flu. Word of that death comes as Louisville prepares to hold its first public H1N1 vaccination clinic.
15,000 doses of the vaccine will be available starting Wednesday morning at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and local health professionals are urging those in target groups to be there. Doctors say there are a lot of myths circulating about the H1N1 vaccine, but the bottom line is with 20 confirmed deaths in Kentucky so, if you're in the high risk group, you should get it. The tents are going up for the clinic as calls have been coming in since September.
"They want to know, can they get it, when can they get it and do they need it?" said Dr. Bridget Hittepole, while talking to a group of University of Louisville Health Care workers Monday of the inquiries received.
Wednesday morning, the parking lots around Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium will become H1N1 Central. The setup will be similar, but bigger, than the University Hospital's drive-thru seasonal flu clinic which is also held there. One addition to the H1N1 clinic will be the addition of tents to handle people who walk up.
With the clinic closer, Hittepole talked to the health care workers, who just like most of the public still have questions about H1N1. Hittepole said the fear is still out there concerning the safety of the vaccine, but she told the group it is the same FDA-approved technology used to make the seasonal vaccine. While the internet is great source of information, Hittepole also said it can be equally bad when it comes to spreading H1N1 myths.
“There are things that aren't necessarily true and I think that can cause panic among people and especially kids too," Hittepole said.
Like many medical professionals, Hittepole believes H1N1 is under reported. She said the 144 confirmed deaths among children since April should be reason enough for parents to act.
If you think your child may have had H1N1, but was never diagnosed, Hittepole said parents should still have their child get the vaccine.
"I think they still should get the shot because there is a possibility that whatever they were infected with wasn't H1N1,” said Hittepole.
While she understands the worry that some parents have about mercury in the vaccine, Hittepole said the actual amount is in the vaccine is less than you would get in some fish.
Metro Health officials will not turn anyone away, but ask that only those in target groups come to the clinic. People in the target group are:
- Pregnant women
- Children ages 6 months to 4 years
- People who care for children younger than 6 months old
- Children age 5 through 18 who have chronic medical conditions
- Healthcare workers and emergency first responders
The H1N1 clinic is Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and it's free. If you have any questions about the clinic, an information hotline has been set up to help. That number is 502-568-4161. Phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
You can save time by completing the consent form before you arrive. To download and print your consent form, visit: http://tiny.cc/h1n1consentform.
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