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Tuttle resident Dr. Lydia Dennis holds her son, J.R., as he received a nasal spray vaccination by Nurse Shyla Rackley. The Grady County Health Department has had an influx of patients this week, after state health officials announced Monday that all Oklahomans are eligible for the swine flu vaccination.
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residents flock for flu vaccine
Center averaging 15 to 20 patients waiting at all times!
Patients have streamed into the Grady County Health Department this week, after state health officials announced Monday that all Oklahomans are now eligible for the swine flu (H1N1) vaccination.
Mike Milton, administrative director of the county health department, said there's been a revolving door at the center. As one patient leaves, another comes in for a shot or the nasal spray. He said they average 15-20 patients at a time. "It's increased the interest and...It's strictly a preventive measure," he said.
Vaccine supplies remain limited, but demand from priority groups has dipped to where all Oklahomans can get a vaccine. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) expects an additional 90,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine to be delivered to the state this week. The doses include both nasal spray and injectable vaccines.
“While we continue to emphasize the importance of vaccination for the priority groups, especially children and pregnant women, we are going to begin to vaccinate the general population,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley said. “Vaccination continues to be the best way to protect yourself from the H1N1 flu and slow the spread of this pandemic."
She said H1N1 infections have been widespread in Oklahoma since early September. However, statewide monitoring has shown a decline in influenza-linked hospitalizations. The virus is expected to circulate throughout the winter months, and could possibly resurge in the spring.
"There is a possibility that it may resurge, but nobody really knows," Milton said. "Hopefully it will continue to decline."
Since Sept. 1, 890 Oklahomans have been hospitalized due to complications from influenza and 33 people have died.
Ninety percent of the H1N1-related deaths have been people younger than 65 years old. This finding contrasts significantly with seasonal flu, which tends to cause the greatest proportion of deaths among persons older than 65 years. The best protection against getting the flu is to receive both the vaccine for H1N1 flu and seasonal flu.
Dr. Lydia Dennis, of Tuttle, took her three-year-old son, J.R., to get both vaccines. She said she as originally didn't know if she'd let her son take the shot, but the statistics of the pandemic worried her.
"The scary stuff is how the younger people are effected," she said.
With a couple more months lead time, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention could have put the swine flu into the seasonal vaccine, Milton said. The timing was off, and by the time H1N1 was declared a pandemic in April, it was too late to include it with the seasonal flu vaccines.
Seasonal flu vaccines are released in October of the previous year. With a burgeoning pandemic, health officials and the CDC scrambled to create the H1N1 vaccine, which took until October to reach the public
Supplies of the H1N1 vaccine remain limited and the state expects to continue to receive the vaccine through January.
For more information about the availability of H1N1 influenza vaccine, call the Grady County Health Department or visit www.health.ok.gov.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health toll-free H1N1 hotline is 1-866-278-7134.
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Transformations
What comes to mind when you think of the word, “Transformation”?Do you have fantastic thoughts of people or things changing into something amazing for example, Clark Kent turning into Superman or Bruce Banner becoming the Incredible Hulk or possibly something a little more down to earth like a caterpillar miraculously changing into the beautiful butterfly?
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GRADY COUNTY FAIR RESULTS
Plants
Potted Plants
(Several varieties combined)
First: (Adult) Ann O'Bar
Second: (Adult) Joyce Riker
Third: (Adult) Jallane Link -
AROUND THE AREA
SEPTEMBER 2
Poetry Reading
• When: Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
• Where: Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Private Room, 3127 S. 4th St., Chickasha
• Details: Featured Poet is Carol Hamilton, writer, storyteller and Poet Laureate of Oklahoma 1995-97Hamilton’s website is www.carolhamilton.org. There is no admission fee to attend the Poetry Reading, and refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160 or 317-7506. -
Duncan nips Chicks for straight-game win
Duncan got their eighth match win of the season Tuesday, beating Nancy Waters’ Lady Chicks in straight games at the Activity Center.
The Chicks looked like they had a little hangover from Monday night’s tough road loss at Tecumseh, coming out flat again and dropping their first two games by identical 25-17 scores.
They came out firing on all eight cylinders for game three, running out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of a 7-0 run with Shelby Crosley serving, but the Demons battled back to tie it late and the Chicks let it slip away, 25-21. -
STATE SPORTS BRIEFS
NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has named walk-on Patrick O'Hara as the starting place-kicker for the seventh-ranked Sooners.
Stoops said on his radio show Tuesday night that O'Hara won the competition with Jimmy Stevens, freshman Michael Hunnicutt and redshirt freshman Bryce Easley. -
OSU's Gundy still learning on job
STILLWATER (AP) — Mike Gundy hasn't lost his love for dialing up the right play to keep Oklahoma State's offense purring along.
That passion, which he has called the most enjoyable part of his job as head coach, was bred into him as an offensive coordinator. And he is a former starting quarterback for the Cowboys. -
Whimsical metal work, jewelry part of big art show at USAO
A showing of whimsical metal work and jewelry is scheduled to be on display at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Helen’s Show Sept. 10-Oct 1.
The show will feature the work of USAO graduate Helen Shafer. The exhibition will be open daily during normal business hours in the Davis Hall Third Floor Art Gallery on the USAO campus. The show is free and open to the public. An opening reception is scheduled Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the gallery. -
High-speed chase lands 1 in jail
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle. -
5 inmates denied parole
Parole was recently denied for five Grady County inmates serving sentences with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The following individuals were denied at the August Pardon and Parole Board meeting:
• Jeremiah Daniel Cline, who is serving a five-year sentence for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and a five-year sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, began his sentence in August 2008.
• Warren P. Diego, who is serving a 15-year sentence (10 years PTS) for lewd molestation, began his sentence in February 2009. -
Judge recuses herself from pharmacy case
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state district judge has stepped aside from the first-degree murder trial of a pharmacist accused in the fatal shooting of an unconscious would-be robber.
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Transformations
