VIRGINIA BEACH -- About 1,5000 children and college students living in Va. Beach were getting their H1N1 flu shots free on Thursday.
The health department held a clinic at its location at 4452 Corporation Lane from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
This clinic was for children who attend private schools, children who attend a child care center, child who are homeschooled and students who attend a higher education institution.
The supply is limited and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
By about 2:00 p.m.., the clinic was shut down because all the shots had been used.
By 4:00 p.m., the nasal spray version of the H1N1 vaccine had arrived, so the clinic was reopened to those who wanted the spray. The clinic was set to close at 8:00 p.m.
Other clinics will be scheduled as needed and will be posted on the
If you have questions about the clinics, call the Va. Beach Department of Public Health at 518-2700 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
In Richmond, Virginia health officials say the percentage of visits to emergency departments and urgent-care centers for influenza-related illness has plateaued and mirrors what's going on in the rest of the country.
State health commissioner Dr. Karen Remley said on Thursday that patients reporting swine flu-related symptoms make up about 14 percent of emergency-room and urgent-care medical visits. Twelve people have died statewide from influenza-related problems.
Meantime, a vaccine shortage continues. Remley said 598,000 doses have been received or are on the way to the state. School-age children are being targeted for immunization in more than 300 clinics in private and public schools, but several clinics have had to be postponed because of the lack of vaccine.
Health officials are continuing to stress that healthy people allow children, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions first crack at vaccines when they become available.
