The Macon County Health Department reports that there has been an elderly person who has died from H1N1-related complications. This Macon County resident had underlying health conditions which led to the complications experienced from the H1N1 flu.
With the report of this death, Macon County Health Department officials continue to encourage residents within the priority groups to obtain the H1N1 vaccination.
Brandi Binkley, Director of Health Promotion states, “In this time of spreading illness, it is crucial to take every precaution and measure possible to protect the health of ourselves and our family. Receiving the H1N1 vaccination is one major step that can be taken toward keeping good health throughout the flu season.”
The priority groups currently able to receive the vaccine are as follows:
Pregnant women,
Household contacts and caregivers for children under 6 months of age,
Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel,
People 6 months to 24 years of age, and
People ages 25 through 64 with a chronic health condition.
These priority groups have been set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based on those most affected in the Spring and now. The majority of those hospitalized with lab-confirmed H1N1 in Macon County are in the younger populations; the median age of these persons at this time is 9 years of age.
It is important to remember that any illness, including the flu, can affect people in different ways. If someone has flu symptoms, they should contact their healthcare provider to receive further direction. Because a person’s healthcare provider is aware of her/his current health condition, it is crucial that they determine whether that person needs treatment, a medical visit, or can receive care at home.
The Macon County Health Department is holding a H1N1 Vaccination Clinic today, November 3, 2009, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Mt. Zion Intermediate School at 310 South Henderson Street in Mt. Zion. The priority groups being served during this clinic are as follows:
Pregnant women,
Household contacts and caregivers for children under 6 months of age,
Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel,
People ages 3 through 24, and
People ages 25 through 64 with a chronic health condition.
The Macon County Health Department has and will continue to follow the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidelines when deciding who will receive the H1N1 vaccine. Those who are not within the high-risk priority groups will be turned away.
For more information about H1N1 flu and/or the H1N1 vaccination clinic, please call (217) 423-6988 or check the website at HYPERLINK "http://www.maconcountyhealth.org" .
www.maconcountyhealth.org
The Macon County Health Department will contact the media when additional clinics are scheduled and the priority groups are expanded.
