Ready for the rush

David Nivens

Nov. 7, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- JAMESTOWN -- County officials are preparing for a large turnout today for their swine flu vaccination clinic on the Guilford Technical Community College campus.

GTCC officials have canceled classes and will open the campus at 8 a.m. The free clinic opens at Medlin Center at 9 a.m. for children age 6 months to 18 years of age, college students, and pregnant women. Vaccines will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guilford County deputies will help with traffic control and security, Health Director Merle Green said Thursday. Health workers and EMS crews will interview people to make sure they qualify for a shot.

"We are calling in our nurses and some of our retired staff to help with this," Green told the Guilford County Board of Commissioners during a meeting at High Point University.

Eligible people will get a ticket, Green said.

"We know that some people are anxious because they have not been able to find a vaccine," Green said. "The doses we have received previously have been taken within hours. But if you get a ticket, you know you can get a shot."

With a shipment of 6,000 doses arriving this week, health officials decided to offer a free clinic. Other health care providers receive a share of most shipments.

"We don't want to have people lined up and then turn them away because we ran out of vaccine," Green said. "That is why we waited to do this. We wanted to have enough doses. We already have had more office appointments than the number of doses shipped to us."

People should bring their insurance or Medicaid card if they have one. Also, college students should bring their college identification cards.

"But we will not check driver's licences to see if someone is a Guilford County resident," Green said. "We prefer to immunize county residents because we do not have enough vaccine yet for everyone."

Health officials don't want to see sick people, but those with a mild cold or other illness should be able to get a shot.

dnivens@hpe.com -- 888-3626

Newstex ID: KRTB-0090-39528999