Colorado health officials are meeting this afternoon to consider expanding the availability of H1N1 flu vaccine to the general population — a step El Paso County has already taken.
The state Health Department has followed the the lead of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in restricting the availability of H1N1 vaccine to only populations at higher risk if they contract the flu.
Pregnant women, medical personnel, young children those who work with young children and the elderly have been getting first dibs on available vaccine.
Thursday morning El Paso announced they would distribute the vaccine to anyone who wanted it, starting Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in a clinic at Citadel Mall, 750 Citadel Drive East in Colorado Springs.
There is expected to be a minimum of 3,000 vaccine doses available, said Public Health Information Officer for El Paso’s health department, Susan Wheelan in a statement.
The state intends to announce later this afternoon whether they have recommended more widespread distribution of the vaccines through the state’s counties.
Victoria Barbatelli: 303-954-1698 or vbarbatelli@denverpost.com
