H1N1 stats like those of regular flu

As two Wasatch Front health departments plan for mass H1N1 vaccination clinics next week, new figures show the number of people who died or were hospitalized with the virus in the past week remained consistent with seasonal flu rates.

The Utah Department of Health reported one additional death between Nov. 15 and 21, a woman between the ages of 50 and 64 from southwest Utah, bringing the death total since Sept. 1 to 20. Another 72 people have been hospitalized statewide with the virus during the past week.

Meanwhile, both the Davis County and Weber-Morgan health departments are planning mass vaccination clinics in the coming week, and health officials are encouraging those in priority categories to get the vaccination soon, before the departments allow everyone access to the limited number of doses that become available.

In Davis County, both FluMist and injectable vaccines will be available to residents who pick up tickets on Monday, Nov. 30, at two locations: the Bountiful Regional Center, 835 N. 400 East, North Salt Lake, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and the Legacy Events Center, 151 S. 1100 West, Farmington, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 801-451-3333 or see the department's Web site at www.daviscountyutah.gov/flu.

Tickets are date and time specific and will only be provided for immediate family members who fit the priority categories: pregnant women; household contacts of infants under 6 months old; children and young adults 6 months to 24 years; health-care and emergency-response workers; or people ages 25-64 with underlying health conditions (asthma, heart disease, diabetes).

Vaccines will be given Dec. 1-3 from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Davis Conference Center, 800 W. Heritage Park Blvd., in Layton.

Residents of the Weber-Morgan health district can pick up tickets for vaccination from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at the Weber County Fairground exhibit hall, 1000 N. 1200 West. Some 6,000 tickets will be available, and adults may pick up a limit of eight tickets for people who fit the priority vaccination categories.

Vaccines will be administered Dec. 1 and 2 at the same location the tickets were distributed. For more information on the H1N1 virus and vaccine availability, see the department's Web site at www.webermorganhealth.org or call the flu hotline at 801-399-8814.

e-mail: carrie@desnews.com