BY JIM HALL
New H1N1 clinics are scheduled this week in Caroline and Stafford counties.
Caroline will have its second swine flu vaccination program on Thursday, beginning at 5 p.m., at Caroline High School.
Dr. John Petrasky, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, said Friday that he hopes to ship at least 1,000 doses of the vaccine to Caroline. Petrasky said he does not know what types of vaccine will be available.
Nurses from the Health District and from Spotsylvania County schools will help with the clinic, he said.
"Caroline is a real high priority. We want to get them another clinic," he said.
Caroline's only other clinic was held late last month at the high school, where 300 children were vaccinated.
This clinic is for Caroline County students, siblings and staff, said Eric Cunningham, assistant superintendent. Parents must accompany their children, he added.
St. William of York Catholic School also will host a clinic on Thursday, beginning at 9 a.m.
Petrasky said he hopes to ship the North Stafford school up to 300 doses of vaccine.
Stafford public school officials said they do not plan to hold any additional large-scale vaccination clinics.
Stafford held five sessions at its high schools. Nearly 4,800 students, siblings and staff were vaccinated. Stafford has about 26,000 students.
"What we're going to do now is move it into the schools," said spokeswoman Valerie Cottongim.
When more vaccine becomes available, parents will be able to schedule shots for their children through the school nurses, Cottongim said.
At Pratt Medical Center, the staff vaccinated nearly 700 people this week, said chief executive Robert Alexander.
Pratt was one of the first commercial providers in the region to offer a substantial quantity of the vaccine to the public.
Alexander said phone lines at the clinic were overwhelmed Tuesday with people hoping to schedule a vaccination. At one point 40 people were on hold, he said.
Later, one of the Pratt offices "looked like a day care center," with dozens of waiting parents and children, he said.
Jim Hall: 540/374-5433
Email: jhall@freelancestar.com