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Swine flu vaccination starts Friday at some Sarasota schools

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TBO.com

Published: November 2, 2009

TAMPA - Sarasota health officials expect a crowd when they begin offering vaccinations at selected schools this weekend for elementary and pre-kindergarten students.

Law enforcement officers will direct traffic when the clinics are open, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. the next two Fridays, Nov. 6 and 13, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the next two Saturdays, Nov. 7 and 20.

A news release from the Sarasota County Health Department urges parents to wait until 4 p.m. Fridays or to come Saturday to avoid any possible after-school rush.

Clinics will be scheduled later for middle school and high school students.

Meantime, the department's news release said vaccinations for the general public probably won't start until after Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 26. They are limited now to people likely to suffer complications from swine flu, including children.

Health departments across the Tampa Bay area have been unable to say when vaccinations will be available to the general public because of delays nationwide in manufacturing and distribution.

Officials with the Food and Drug Administration said it will be mid-November at the earliest before vaccines are available to the general public.

People in priority groups can check with their doctors to see whether they have the vaccine available. Priority groups, those more likely to become seriously ill, are pregnant women; household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months; healthcare and emergency medical services personnel; all people 6 months to 24; and people 25 to 64 years who have a higher risk of medical complications.

For more information on vaccinations check with the Sarasota County Health Department www.sarasotahealth.org or the Sarasota County School District http://www.sarasotacountyschools.net.

You can also call (941) 927-9000, ext. 32101, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

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