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Editor, Senior Moderator
Swine flu death toll climbs to 34 in La.; more people can now be vaccinated, DHH says
By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune
November 11, 2009, 2:16PM
The state recorded its 34th death from the H1N1 flu today even as state health officials announced the swine flu vaccine will now be available to more individuals.
Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine told a Baton Rouge news conference the latest fatality is a Monroe man. He did not release the name or age of the individual.
"It is spreading pretty rapidly," Levine said. He said as winter nears the frequency of reported and confirmed cases will grow.
Levine said that starting Thursday, the target group of those who are advised to get the vaccine will increase to those aged 25 to 64 and who are at a "higher risk for flu complications because of chronic health disorders," like diabetes or "compromised immune systems."
Remaining in the target group for the shots, he said, will be pregnant women, health-care workers who deal with the sick, those from age 6 months to 24 years old, and those who care for infants younger than 6 months.
The shots will be available at all public health clinics free of charge starting Thursday, Levine said.
The locations of the clinics and other providers giving the shots can be found on a parish-by-parish basis by going to www.FightTheFluLA.com, Levine said.
He said that individuals should call for an appointment and give officials their ages and their health conditions before showing up.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/11/swine_flood_death_toll_climbs.html
By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune
November 11, 2009, 2:16PM
The state recorded its 34th death from the H1N1 flu today even as state health officials announced the swine flu vaccine will now be available to more individuals.
Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine told a Baton Rouge news conference the latest fatality is a Monroe man. He did not release the name or age of the individual.
"It is spreading pretty rapidly," Levine said. He said as winter nears the frequency of reported and confirmed cases will grow.
Levine said that starting Thursday, the target group of those who are advised to get the vaccine will increase to those aged 25 to 64 and who are at a "higher risk for flu complications because of chronic health disorders," like diabetes or "compromised immune systems."
Remaining in the target group for the shots, he said, will be pregnant women, health-care workers who deal with the sick, those from age 6 months to 24 years old, and those who care for infants younger than 6 months.
The shots will be available at all public health clinics free of charge starting Thursday, Levine said.
The locations of the clinics and other providers giving the shots can be found on a parish-by-parish basis by going to www.FightTheFluLA.com, Levine said.
He said that individuals should call for an appointment and give officials their ages and their health conditions before showing up.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/11/swine_flood_death_toll_climbs.html