H1N1 Clinic Tonight in Summit

The Westfield Regional Health Department is sponsoring a H1N1 vaccination clinic tonight at Summit High School.

The clinic, which runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Summit High School on Kent Place Boulevard, is open to anyone in the state and the department serves Westfield, Summit and six other communities in Union County. This is the second H1N1 clinic the department is sponsoring. The first was last Tuesday at Westfield High School.

The clinic will provide the injectible version of the vaccine. This version is a dead virus injected via needle. Last week's clinic was the live nasal version of the vaccine.

Due to the limited amount of H1N1 vaccine currently in stock, the Health Department is asking that only the targeted population receive the vaccine at this time. The targeted population includes pregnant women, those between six months old and 24 years old, people between 25 years old and 64 years old with a chronic health condition, caregivers of children under six months old and certified health care workers who have direct patient contact.

Health Officer Megan Avallone has said that those outside of the targeted population should not try to sneak in line and receive the vaccine at the clinic. She has offered a stark warning to those who choose to try this.

"If they lie it will take a vaccine from someone who could die if they don't get it," Avallone said. "If a five year old gets H1N1 without the vaccine, they could get really sick."