Monday the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services release a list of upcoming H1N1 virus vaccination clinics. Today Sacramento supervisors declare an H1N1 emergency for the entire county. So you may ask, as I do, where and when can you get a vaccination? As it happens, the clinic nearest to the Pocket and Greenhaven neighborhoods is at the Public Safety Center on Freeport on January 14 or at the Pannell Community Center on November 20. (Click here for the website with the entire list.)

Pocket Online called the Sacramento Department of Health and Human Services to ask those who scheduled the clinics why they chose to not have one in our area. Kerry Shearer says County Health Officer Glennah Trochet, MD tried to spread the clinics to as many places as possible. “We’re doing as many clinics as we can in places that make sense but we do have to triage the requests for clinics with the staff we have,” explains Shearer. “We decided we have sites close to the Pocket area we believe will be accessible.” (Referring to the two sites mentioned above.)

The office of Councilman Robbie Waters agrees. Waters’ District Director Pat Clark says the councilman believes the Pannell Center is “close enough” and his office did not ask the county Department of Health and Human Services to hold a clinic in the Pocket area. Supervisor Jimmie Yee would not even comment on the crisis or the lack of clinics in the Pocket or Greenhaven neighborhoods.

Shearer, who says the department is trying to balance the need with limited staff, adds that these clinics are just supposed to fill in the gaps of this emergency. “Really people need to go to their healthcare provider. That’s the preferred way for people to get immunized.”

Take a moment to voice your opinion in our opinion poll or leave a comment at the bottom of this story. You can also call Supervisor Yee at 916.874.5481 and Councilman Waters at 916.808.7007.

The School of Engineering and Science today sent home notice that a student there has a confirmed case of H1N1 (formerly known as the Swine Flu). The note to parents says the unidentified student is recieving treatment and recovering at home. School administrators have asked the student’s parents to keep their child home until he or she is symptom-free for at least 24 hours.

Pocket Online contacted the Sacramento City Unified School District with questions about the measures underway to protect student’s classmates. The student apparently does have siblings who attend other city campuses.

SES administrators do ask parents to keep your child home if they have a fever of 100 degrees or more and: have a sore throat, cough, nasal congestion or runny nose. Administrators suggest if your child is sick that you take them to a doctor for a complete examination.  Physicians with the American Medical Association (click here for their comprehensive H1N1 website) say your child can reduce their chances of getting ill if they: wash thoroughly and often, stay away from people who are ill, covor their mouth and nose when they sneeze and avoid touching their eyes or nose as these are places that are most vulnerable to the virus.