Flu Shots

H1N1 vaccinations begin in schools

High Risk H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinic Set for November 21 in Loudoun

The Loudoun County Health Department will have the capacity to vaccinate approximately 1,500 people at Smart’s Mill Middle School, located at 850 North King Street in Leesburg, on Saturday, November 21, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and lasting until 2:00 p.m., or until all vaccine has been administered. The vaccine will be offered on a walk-in basis free of charge and those desiring vaccination are encouraged to wear a short sleeve shirt or top.

Loudoun County’s November 21, 2009, H1N1 vaccination clinic is intended only for people in the groups recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine. These include:

Pregnant women
Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
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 medical complications from influenza.

Additional clinics will be set up as soon as further vaccine shipments arrive. When the clinics are scheduled, the most up-to-date information will be posted at www.loudoun.gov/flu. Questions and concerns can be directed to the Loudoun County Health Department at flu@loudoun.gov or by calling the flu information

H1N1 Vaccine Availability

The Loudoun County Health Department will have the capacity to vaccinate approximately 1,500 people at Smart’s Mill Middle School, located at 850 North King Street in Leesburg, on Saturday, November 21, 2009, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and lasting until 2:00 p.m. or until all vaccine has been administered. The vaccine will be offered on a walk-in basis free of charge and those desiring vaccination are encouraged to wear a short sleeve shirt or top.

Vaccine provided on November 21 will primarily be the injectable formulation containing the preservative thimerosal, with a relatively few doses available of the live, attenuated (mist) formulation. No thimerosal free shots are expected to be available at this event. More information on thimerosal safety in influenza vaccines is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here.

Loudoun County’s November 21, 2009, H1N1 vaccination clinic is intended only for people in the groups recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination:

Pregnant women;
Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age;
Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel;
All people from 6 months through 24 years of age; and,
Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

Additional clinics will be set up as soon as further vaccine shipments arrive. Please check back often for the most up-to-date information, or contact the Loudoun County Health Department at flu@loudoun.gov if you have any questions or concerns. Please also check with your private health care provider for vaccine availability.

Additional Resources

Flu Questions & Concerns

If you have questions about either the seasonal flu the H1N1 (Swine) flu, please contact the Loudoun County Health Department flu@loudoun.gov or phone the flu information line at 703-771-5512.

If you would like to find out how you can help with this situation or any public health emergency, please go to www.loudoun.gov/mrc for more information.

Community Meetings

The Loudoun County Health Department has been hosting H1N1 influenza information meetings for the general public. The most recent was on October 14, 2009, in Hamilton.

The free program provided the latest information on seasonal and 2009 H1N1 (Swine) influenza and how to prepare for both. Representatives from the Loudoun County Health Department, Loudoun County Public Schools, and Inova Loudoun Hospital discussed what is being done and steps you can take to prepare your family, your business, and your community for influenza.

Earlier, the Health Department hosted an informational meeting on H1N1 and seasonal influenza for the general public on September 23, 2009, at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building in Ashburn. A video of the meeting is available online:

Video of H1N1 Flu Meeting

Pandemic Influenza Response Plan

Loudoun County has been preparing for a possible flu pandemic for several years and has activated that plan. A copy of the county's Pandemic Influenza Response Plan is available online.

Loudoun's Pandemic Influenza Response Plan (Updated September 2009)

The Loudoun County Health Department encourages residents to follow these standard guidelines to stay healthy and reduce the spread of disease:

If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Sneeze and cough into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
Wash your hands often, scrubbing your hands together for 20 seconds with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Get your seasonal flu vaccine now and, when available, the H1N1 flu vaccine.

There is no indication that there is a risk of getting the H1N1 (swine) flu virus from contact with pigs or from eating properly cooked pork products.

On May 26, 2009, the Health Department confirmed Loudoun's first laboratory-confirmed case of H1N1 influenza in a young man who has fully recovered. Details are online here.

For More Information

For more information about influenza contact the Health Department at flu@loudoun.gov or by phone at 703-771-5512. If you would like to find out how you can help with this situation or any public health emergency, please go to www.loudoun.gov/mrc for more information.

The latest information on the H1N1 (swine) flu investigation, including additional tips on how you can stay healthy, is also available from: