County Opens Swine Flu Vaccine To All Residents
By News Channel 3newsline3@kesq.com
RIVERSIDE -Starting Monday, December 21, all Riverside County residents can walk into 10 county family care centers without an appointment and get the H1N1 flu vaccine.
Riverside County public health officials are no longer limiting doses to people in priority groups because vaccine shipments continues to arrive and officials are confident there is enough to vaccinate anyone who wants a dose.
*We want to get the H1N1 vaccine out as fast as possible,* said Dr. Eric Frykman, Riverside County’s public health officer.
Public health officials strongly encourage everyone, especially those in priority groups, to get vaccinated. The priority groups are: anyone 6 months to 24 years old, caregivers of infants less than six months old, pregnant women, health care and emergency service workers and adults age 25 to 64 with chronic medical conditions.
At the family care centers, additional nurses have been brought in to provide the H1N1 shot and nasal spray vaccinations. County residents who recently received the shot at the Corona Family Care Center appreciated the express-lane-type experience.
“It was cool,” said Cody Dunn, 24, of Norco. “Real quick. Simple. Go in. Sign the paperwork. I was in and out in five minutes.”
The family care centers are offering the vaccine from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The centers will be closed Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Centers are located in Corona, Banning, Jurupa, Perris, Indio, Palm Springs, Rubidoux, Lake Elsinore, Hemet and Riverside. For locations visit this website, or call 2-1-1. Residents with cell phones with area codes not in Riverside County can call 1-800-464-1123.
Individuals with a cough or fever should wait until the symptoms are gone before being vaccinated. To slow the spread of illness, residents with flu-like symptoms are encouraged to stay home from work or school. Everyone should wash their hands regularly and cover their coughs and sneezes.
