San Juan Basin Health Department is offering a vaccination clinic open to everyone from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday at the north entrance of the Durango Mall. The shots are free. H1N1 vaccinations are also available at City Market and Walgreens for anyone 10 years old and older. At these locations, there is an administrative fee and the charge varies among stores. For more information call the FluLine, 247-5702 ext. 1520 or visit the health department’s Web site at www.sjbhd.org.

Nov. 9-13 Flu activity: There were few reported absences because of flu-like illness in Bayfield and Durango schools.

Thursday: In-school vaccination clinics in Miller Middle School and Ignacio junior and senior schools.

Friday: In-school vaccination clinics in Bayfield and Durango high schools.

Saturday: 4:30-7 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds Extension Building.

Populations: Children 14 years and younger*; people as old as 64 with chronic health conditions; pregnant women; parents, siblings or day care providers of children 6 months and younger.

*Call San Juan Basin Health to find out if vaccine availability has expanded additional eligible populations. FluLine: 247-5702 ext. 1520. Web site, www.sjbhd.org.

San Juan Basin Health Department is offering several H1N1 vaccination clinics this week in Bayfield, Durango and Ignacio.

The Durango clinics will take place 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, and 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 7. Both clinics will be held at San Juan Basin Health Department in Bodo Park.

The Bayfield clinic will take place 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Upper Pine Fire Protection Administration Building located at 515 Sower Dr.

On Friday, Nov. 6, San Juan Basin Health will be providing H1N1 vaccines 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. the health fair inside the Sky Ute Casino.

These clinics are ONLY for: individuals up to age 64 with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, children 6 months to 4 years old, and for parents, siblings or daycare providers of babies under six months old. Both FluMist and shots will be available.

Vaccinations are free; however, people may make a voluntary donation.

San Juan Basin Health will be adding clinics weekly. Visit their website, www.sjbhd.org, or call FluLine 247-5702, ext. 1520 for more information. You can also the La Plata County Infoline at 385-INFO (4636), ext. 2270 or the Colorado Helpline at (877) 462-2911.

FLU ACTIVITY: The number of cases fluctuated this week. There was an increase in reported flu-like illness absences in Durango 9-R schools and a decrease in Bayfield schools.

This just hit the wire from the AP. Unfortunately, it looks like kids will need two shots for a strong immunity against H1N1.

“Among children aged 6 months to 35 months just one in four had a strong immune response after 21 days. For those 3 years to 9 years old it was 55 percent. There was a sharp improvement after a second dose …”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A single dose of the swine flu vaccine works well for almost all pregnant women, but young children will still need two doses for best results, federal health officials said Monday.

Twenty-one days after receiving a single 15-microgram dose of the vaccine, 92 percent of pregnant women showed a robust immune response, Dr. Anthony Fauci reported.

A larger, 30-microgram dose produced a strong response in 96 percent of pregnant women, said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

“This should be reassuring news to those women who have received the vaccine,” Fauci said.

While a single dose is recommended for healthy adults and pregnant women, officials have said younger children will need two doses.

That has been confirmed by continuing studies, Fauci said.

He said among children aged 6 months to 35 months just one in four had a strong immune response after 21 days. For those 3 years to 9 years old it was 55 percent. There was a sharp improvement after a second dose, he said, raising the fully protected rate to 100 percent in those 6 months to 35 months and 94 percent in those aged 3 years to 9 years.

Giving the larger 30 microgram dose gave no added benefit, Fauci said.