Health officials to expand flu vaccine target groups

by Elizabeth Dunbar, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Health will soon announce plans to make more people eligible to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine.

Health officials will hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon to talk about the expanded vaccination.

County health departments last week began distributing the vaccine at school clinics to vaccinate children age 9 and younger. Some clinics and county health departments have already announced expanded eligibility for the vaccine, such as allowing older children and teens with health conditions to get vaccinated.

Besides children age 9 and younger, pregnant women and people who care for infants under 6 months of age have been targeted for the first rounds of H1N1 flu vaccine.

The H1N1 flu vaccine is arriving to Minnesota in batches, and so far the number of doses has been too small to open up the flu vaccine clinics to all who want it.

Health officials hope that eventually there will be enough for most people who want to get

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 11/24/2009, 5:20 p.m.