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The fight is on.

More than 350 healthy children from ages 2 to 4 received nasal mist vaccinations from the swine flu during a clinic Oct. 21 at the Clay County Public Health Center. The children will be asked to return in 28 days for their second and last dose of vaccine.

“The second dose is needed to provide the best protection from the H1N1 virus,” Jodee Fredrick, division director of Community Health Promotion and Planning, said. “This is very important for parents to understand.”

The health center chose to target younger healthy children with their initial doses of the nasal vaccine to keep the high-risk group healthy and to prevent the spread of H1N1. “We want to keep them well,” Fredrick said.

The line of children with their parents, grandparents and guardians at the clinic stretched out the doors of the clinic and reached for almost two blocks. Amidst the faces of concern there were questions if there would be enough vaccine.

Among those in line was Tricia Marcussen of Kansas City North who brought her son, Braydon, to the clinic after learning their family’s pediatrician did not have any vaccine. She said the next step would be to have her 11 year-old vaccinated against H1N1.

For other families the story was similar, with older siblings standing by their younger brothers and sisters.

Fredrick said the health center is receiving additional vaccine now on a weekly basis, including shots that will be used for other segments of the population who are at risk and can’t have the live weakened virus found in the nasal spray.

Additional vaccine is going to private practitioners who treat high-risk groups.

One of the next steps for the health center Fredrick said would be to identify and vaccinate high-risk groups within the schools.

She added that the health centers have been working closely with area school districts throughout the process.

ONLINE

For regular updates on H1N1 vaccine availability and related news, visit www.clayhealth.com.

Senior writer Mark Johnson can be reached at 781-4941 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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