General Information

            Erie County Flu Clinic Locator

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Top 10 Things You Can Do to Prevent the Flu (PDF)

What to Do If You Get Sick: 2009 H1N1 & Seasonal Flu (CDC)

Guidance for Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home (CDC) 

Other Resources

Information for Specific Groups

Health Care Professionals & First Responders

Child Care Programs, Schools, Colleges & Universities

Businesses & Employers

Community & Faith Based Organizations 

Pregnant Women

 

Erie County flu vaccine clinic locator                                                                                   

H1N1 FLU VACCINE

NOTE: H1N1 vaccine will begin to be generally available to persons in priority groups beginning the first week of November and to the general public in December. But not everyone will be able to get vaccinated at once. Please be patient. Vaccinations will continue through November and December. It's never too late to get vaccinated!

At this time, individuals in the following priority groups are recommended to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine:

• Pregnant women 
• Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
• Health care and emergency medical services workers
• All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
• Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of serious illness and medical complications from the flu.

Once individuals in these priority groups have had a chance to get vaccinated, H1N1 flu vaccine will be available to everyone who wants it.

According to the ECDOH, the best place to receive vaccination is from your health care provider.  If you are included in one of the CDC’s priority groups, then you should contact your primary care provider to specifically ask if he/she signed up to receive H1N1 vaccine by registering with the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) at https://hcsteamwork1.health.state.ny.us/pub/toph1n1.html.   When H1N1 vaccine becomes available, the ECDOH will do everything possible to ensure that the vaccine is preferentially shipped to those health care providers who have registered with the NYSDOH. 

At this time, the Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is aware of some private health care providers in our county that have ordered H1N1 flu vaccine.  Please check with your health care provider to see if he/she will offer their patients the H1N1 vaccine.

For a listing of H1N1 vaccine clinics in Erie County go to

www.erie.gov/health/h1n1/vaccine.pdf

You may also check the following websites to see if there are any vaccine clinics scheduled at retail outlets near you.

www.flucliniclocator.org

The ECDOH plans to hold immunization clinics to administer H1N1 flu vaccine after the health care provider community has received adequate amounts of vaccine to meet their needs.  H1N1 vaccine will not be delivered all at once, so your patience is appreciated.  Clinics will be scheduled once we have sufficient vaccine available. Check the ECDOH website frequently for future clinic dates and locations. 

SEASONAL FLU VACCINE

NOTE: Your own doctor may be your best option for getting seasonal flu vaccine. Many health care providers have received supplies of seasonal flu vaccine, while other providers are still waiting to receive their vaccines. Providers will continue to receive vaccines in the coming weeks, and vaccination for seasonal flu will continue through November and December, in time to provide protection against the seasonal flu.

The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) does not plan to hold immunization clinics to administer seasonal flu vaccine.   Check with your regular health care provider to see if he/she will offer their patients the seasonal flu vaccine. There may also be other sources of seasonal flu vaccine available locally, such as pharmacies and other retail outlets. 

Check the following websites to see if there are any seasonal flu vaccine clinics scheduled near you.

www.immunizewny.org

www.flucliniclocator.org

Top 10 things you can do to prevent the flu.  (PDF Version)

1.   Wash your hands often, especially after coughing & sneezing.  Wash for 20 seconds with soap & warm water.  Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers or wipes if soap and water are not available.

2.   When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth & nose with a tissue or the inside of your elbow.  Throw the used tissue in the trash and wash your hands.

3.   Avoid touching your eyes, nose & mouth. Germs spread this way.

4.   If you are sick, stay home and away from others for 24 hours after your fever (≥100°F) is gone without the use of fever reducing medications.

5.   Stay away from sick people whenever possible.

6.   Most people who get the flu do not need to go to the doctor or hospital unless they are severely ill or have an underlying condition.

7.   If you are severely ill or at high risk for influenza complications and become ill, call your health care provider as soon as possible. Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk because it can prevent hospitalizations and deaths.

8.   Consider getting vaccinated for seasonal flu if it is recommended for you.  Your primary care provider is the best place to get vaccinated.  If that is not possible, then click here to find a list of community sites that offer the seasonal flu vaccination.  

9.   Consider getting vaccinated for H1N1 if you are in one of the following initial target groups

• Pregnant women
• Persons who live with or provide care for infants aged <6 months
• Health-care and emergency medical services personnel
• Children and young adults aged 6 months - 24 years
• Persons aged 25 - 64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications

10.  Keep informed by going to the following websites.

·         ECDOH

·         NYSDOH

·         CDC

·         Flu.gov

 

The Erie County Department of Health does not provide medical advice.  The information provided herein and on the Erie County Department of Health website is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your personal physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or issue.  Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the content found on the Erie County Department of Health website or this correspondence.