HEALTH: LIMITED FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE NOW

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center will offer a limited number of flu shots Monday morning to senior citizens and other residents classified as being at high risk.

About 1,300 doses of the influenza vaccine will be available at senior citizen centers in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Delta from 9 a.m. until noon. The health department will bill Medicare for eligible recipients. A $5 donation is requested from others to offset some of the cost of the vaccine.

A national delay in shipments of the vaccine has caused many agencies, including the health department, to restrict dosages to emergency personnel and state employees since October. Health department director Charlotte Craig said the vaccine has already been delivered to those groups, and the second round of clinics will be limited to elderly or chronically ill residents and pregnant women.

"What we would like is for people to understand that it is for Cape County residents only," Craig said. "It's also important for people to understand the vaccine I have right now cannot be given to children under the age of 4 except for high-risk children. The vaccine we receive later will be available for all children."

Craig said additional shipments of the vaccine are expected in coming weeks and will be issued to others as they arrive. It only takes two weeks after vaccination to receive full protection from the flu vaccine. Typically, large outbreaks of the virus don't occur until January or later.

HIGH RISK FLU CATEGORIES

* What: Flu clinics for Cape County residents in high-risk categories

* Where: Cape Girardeau Senior Center, 921 N. Clark

Jackson Senior Center, 402 E. Washington

Delta Community Center, 211 E. State St. Rear

* When: 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

The following are considered high-risk categories. The health department will require a doctor's order for children under the age of 18.

* People over the age of 65

* Residents of any age of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilitates

* Children and adults who have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including asthma

* Children and adults who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases including diabetes mellitus, renal dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies or immunosuppression caused by medications or human immunodeficiency virus

* People aged 4-18 years old who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and therefore might be at risk for developing Reye syndrome after influenza

* Women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season

* Special efforts should be made in December and later to vaccinate persons aged 50-64 years, including those who are not at high-risk and are not household contacts of high-risk people.