| Updated: 11/02/2009 9:14 pm |
Published: 11/02/2009 3:17 pm |
Thousands of Arkansans lined up, many in the rain, to receive flu shots. School clinics are almost half way through. If you or your family couldn't make it out to one of the mass clinics, Health Department officials say more are on the way.
Ed Barham from the Health Department says if you still need to be vaccinated, be patient. After Thanksgiving there should be enough for everybody.
"They need those flu shots," says Kim Pride. She has two young children, Trequan and Treshaun, and is seven months pregnant. "Yes, I'm worried about me and my baby."
Kim wants the entire family vaccinated with the seasonal and H1N1, but because she just moved from Eudora, she couldn't make the mass clinics last week.
"In our mass clinics last week, hundreds of thousands were vaccinated," said Barham. "If you missed out, don't worry, lots of vaccines coming in everyday now. Our supply is getting better and were more comfortable with the amount of vaccines we're getting in."
If your kids were lucky enough to receive H1N1 vaccines at one of the mass clinics they were given a piece of paper stating that they need to come back in four weeks to receive booster shots.
"If you are under 10 years of age, you need a second shot of the H1N1 for full protection," explains Barham.
The reason that vaccine production started off slow is that scientists had a hard time growing the virus. As production speeds up, Barham says, it won't be long before doctors start receiving vaccines.
"I hope the supply gets here; I need to get them flu shots and get them over with," said Kim.
If you want your kids to be vaccinated, Barham says check to see if their school is still holding a clinic and make sure you sign the permission slip.
