POMEROY — Unlike seasonal influenza, senior citizens are not in the “priority group” of those who are recommended to first receive vaccinations against the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, according to the Centers For Disease Control.

Frank Gorscak, emergency response coordinator with the Meigs County Health Department said according to the CDC, senior citizens are tending to fair better against H1N1 than younger people that haven’t had decades to build up immunity.

Melissa Conkle, director of nursing for the Gallia County Health Department, said right now health care providers are being told this priority group include pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers for children younger than six months of age, health care workers, emergency medical service personnel, all people six months - 24 years of age and persons 25-64 who have chronic health conditions that heighten the risk for influenza, such as diabetes, asthma, etc.

According to Gorscak and Conkle, both the Meigs and Gallia County Health Departments will receive shipments of the H1N1 vaccine possibly in the middle of October. Neither Gorscak and Conkle were sure of just how many doses of the vaccine their respective health departments would receive. Gorscak said the federal government has said it will ship between 30-140 million doses nationwide. Conkle said the states will then distribute the vaccine to county health departments.

Both the Meigs and Gallia County Health Departments have been in discussions to offer vaccination clinics in the schools on a voluntary basis in regards to H1N1. This all depends on the volume of vaccine received. Gorscak said the MCHD will also have a new website up at the first of the week found at www.meigsflu.com which will provide periodic updates on vaccine arrival, clinics and other related information.

As for what age groups the MCHD will be servicing first in relation to H1N1, Gorscak said it will be done strictly by what the CDC mandates because it is a federal vaccine.

“Well have to wait to see what happens when the vaccine gets here,” Gorscak said.