By Khalida Sarwari
Santa Clara County officials on Thursday announced the county has received 147,000 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine and encourage residents to receive the vaccine at one of six clinics in the South Bay this weekend.
Last month county and health officials expressed concern about a shortage of the H1N1 vaccine injections due to a lower distribution of doses.
Supervisor Liz Kniss said the media’s coverage of the issue helped bring in more doses. The county’s public and private providers received 89,000 doses this week.
“We’re not going to let up on the pressure yet,” she said. “We are going to ensure that everyone in the county gets the protection they need.”
Kniss said county officials will continue to apply political and professional pressure on manufacturers to receive the amount the county requires.
County officials estimated that 800,000 residents meet the federal criteria of those at-risk of illness or serious complication from the H1N1 virus.
Federal criteria requires that priority be given to pregnant women, caregivers of infants under 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical service workers, and everyone from 6 months of age to 64 years old with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu-related complications.
Santa Clara County’s public health Officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib encouraged residents who are at-risk of illness from the H1N1 virus to check with their health care providers to receive the vaccine.
Residents are also encouraged to visit one of six centers offering the vaccine this weekend.
On Saturday, vaccines will be available at the Alviso Health Center in Alviso and Gardner Health Center in San Jose from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Valley Health Center in Gilroy, San Jose and Sunnyvale will also offer vaccines Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
On Sunday, the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose will offer the vaccine from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Residents are advised to dress warmly and to bring along chairs, food, water and toys if they have children.
An informational community forum will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Mountain View Senior Center, at 266 Escuela Ave. in Mountain View.