By Amanda Iacone
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Allen County firefighters and emergency medical workers will begin receiving vaccinations to guard against the H1N1 flu virus Friday.
The Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health announced Tuesday that three additional mass vaccination clinics are planned at Carew Medical Park this week.
Health officials invited city and volunteer fire departments to a special clinic Friday. Just 200 doses of the vaccine were reserved for the first responders, and departments were asked to send members who have direct contact with patients, department spokesman John Silcox said.
Unless firefighters or medics are included in other high- priority groups, they have yet to receive the vaccine, Silcox said. The department will likely have another round of vaccines available for emergency responders next week, he said.
Dr. Deb McMahan, Allen County health commissioner, said that as more of the vaccine is available, she will likely offer it to high- priority groups the department has not yet vaccinated.
That could include adults with chronic health conditions. Until now, the department has focused on children, Silcox said. The department has also provided the vaccine to pregnant women, caregivers of infants younger than 6 months, and health care workers.
Doses are sent to Indiana counties in quantities based on population, but each county is responsible for determining how best to distribute its allotment of the vaccine to residents. Manufacturing delays have limited the amount of vaccine available nationwide.
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