By Jeff Hansel

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

Mayo Clinic started taking calls at 7 a.m. today from current patients who want to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu.

The scope of who's eligible has widened. Now, any Mayo patients age 2 to 49 who have no underlying illness can receive the inhaled vaccine.

The first time Mayo offered H1N1 vaccination appointments by phone, the clinic received more than 200,000 calls during the first two hours, so it's unclear how long appointments will be available. The line was busy most of this morning.

Doug Schultz, spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Health, expressed surprise about Mayo's plans. State authorities, he said, are still focused on vaccinating at-risk children and pregnant women, hoping to get vaccine for them to all medical centers statewide.

Some of the established Mayo primary care patients will qualify to get injectable vaccine. They include pregnant women, primary caregivers of children younger than 6 months old and all children 6 months to 18 years old with chronic health conditions. Those 6 months to 18 years without underlying illness, though, will still get the nasal mist vaccine.

Mayo patients who do not yet qualify for vaccination appointments include children younger than 6 months, people age 19 and older with a chronic illness and people age 50 and older.

Schultz said it could be Thanksgiving before vaccine becomes more available to the general public.

There are 1 comments - Display All Comments