NATIONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION WEEK BEGINS SUNDAY

Washtenaw County Public Health Department Continues Offering Free H1N1 Vaccinations

YPSILANTI, Mich., Jan 6, 2010 - This Sunday, Jan 10th, marks the beginning of National Influenza Vaccination Week. This flu season presents an additional challenge, as the H1N1 influenza virus continues to circulate in our community. Influenza is unpredictable. We do not know the likelihood of a future wave of H1N1 flu, but we do know that if more people are vaccinated, the disease is less likely to spread in the coming months.

Washtenaw County Public Health is offering free H1N1 flu vaccinations during January. Public Health is located at 555 Towner Street, Ypsilanti MI, 48198. Please call 734-544-6700 for an appointment.

Mon, Jan 11th
Wed, Jan 13th
Wed, Jan 20th
Mon, Jan 25th
Wed, Jan 27th

Appointments are available between 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm. People who walk-in without an appointment are served as time allows.

"We are encouraging everyone to get an H1N1 vaccination if they haven't already," says Dr. Diana Torres-Burgos, MD, MPH, Medical Director for Washtenaw County Public Health. Now that H1N1 vaccine is widely available in our community, we hope everyone can take advantage of the ample supply and get vaccinated, she continued.

The H1N1 flu is a serious disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between mid-April and November 14, 2009, 47 million people in the United States were infected with the 2009 H1N1 flu, more than 200,000 people were hospitalized, and over 9,800 people died. Notably, such estimates are based on monitoring of flu-like illness nationally and modeling, rather than lab-confirmed influenza cases. Currently, only the most serious cases of illness are tested for influenza.

No seasonal influenza has been detected locally yet, and there is still time to get vaccinated against seasonal influenza. Seasonal flu vaccine may be available from your health care provider or at a local retail pharmacy. The flu locater at www.flu.gov may help you identify other options.

For updates, please visit www.ewashtenaw.org/flu or call 734-544-6700. For more information about National Influenza Vaccination Week, please visit www.flu.gov/getvaccinated.