Since late April,
Weekly shipments of the H1N1 vaccine have started arriving at the Health Department, but due to the current limited supply, the Health Department is restricting recipients of the H1N1 vaccine until larger shipments become available. Currently, the Health Department is providing the H1N1 vaccine to pregnant women, household contacts of children less than six months old and healthcare workers. The H1N1 vaccine is available at the Health Department free of charge during regular business hours. The recommended groups will vary from week to week, depending on what type of vaccine is available, so please call the Health Department before coming to make sure that you are in the recommended group for that week.
The Brownwood/Brown County Health Department is starting an outreach program involving several daycares and school districts. School-age and younger children can receive the H1N1 vaccine at no cost at those facilities so that parents will not have to take off work. Once supply of H1N1 vaccine becomes more readily available, the Health Department will be able to offer it to the general public as well. Several flu clinics will be held around the county in order to maximize vaccination coverage when the larger supply of H1N1 vaccine arrives.
Until that time, there are several everyday actions people can take to avoid getting the H1N1 flu. Washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve (not hands), staying home when sick, and keeping your distance (at least 3 feet) from people exhibiting flu-like symptoms are all ways to remain healthy and avoid spreading the flu to others.
Employers should make sure that they have a plan to deal with high absenteeism due to the flu, and parents should also have a plan in place if their children have to stay home from school because of flu-like illness. We encourage parents to watch for warning signs of more severe flu symptoms such as difficulty breathing, persistent vomiting, and dehydration. If your child is exhibiting these symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room.
If you have any questions regarding the new H1N1 influenza strain, visit www.texasflu.org/ for more information, or to find out which target groups the Health Department will be giving H1N1 vaccine to each week, call 325-646-0554.
Below is contact information for people who live outside of
For more general information about H1N1, call 2-1-1.
