By Khalida Sarwari
Starting this week, all Santa Clara County residents will have an opportunity to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine.
The vaccines were initially distributed in the fall to about three-quarters of the 800,000 residents in the county who were at high risk for illness or serious complications from the H1N1 flu virus, according to health officials.
An additional 250,000 doses are expected to be shipped to local medical providers in January and early February.
Everyone is encouraged to contact their healthcare provider or retail pharmacies to see if they have received the H1N1 vaccine.
Residents can search for a retail provider by entering their zip code in the flu vaccine locator box on the public health department’s Web site at www.sccphd.org under H1N1 flu information. The Web site also provides residents without health insurance information about how to get the H1N1 vaccine.