
Dr. Peter Gott offers sound medical answers to reader questions in the new Lifestyles section...
ELIZABETHTOWN — The Essex County Public Health Department has scheduled flu clinics in several communities.
Public Health will hold two school-based H1N1 flu clinics in Schroon. Those will be held at Schroon Lake Central School District and Mountainside Christian Academy on Thursday, Nov. 12.
The H1N1 flu vaccine will be available only for children enrolled at either school, school nurses, school nurse aides, school nurse substitutes and school staff members who are pregnant.
Essex County Public Health is also offering a community H1N1 clinic for limited target groups from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.
The clinic will be held at the Schroon Lake Fire Station with H1N1 flu vaccines available only by appointment and only to these groups: pregnant women; people who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months of age (such as parents, siblings and child-care providers); health-care and emergency medical personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious material; children 6 months to 4 years of age; and children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 with medical conditions that put them at an increased risk of flu-related complications. Call 873-3500 to make an appointment.
SEASONAL FLU CLINIC
A seasonal flu clinic will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School on Court Street.
There will be 500 doses of seasonal flu vaccine offered at no cost. The vaccine will be available for anyone 6 months of age and older. Those who attend the clinic are asked to wear short-sleeve shirts to allow easy access to the upper arm.
There will be no H1N1 flu vaccine or pneumonia vaccine at this clinic.
As the vaccine becomes more available, additional community and school-based clinics in Essex County will be announced. County residents can receive updates on these clinics by calling the Essex County Public Health Department at 873-3500 or by visiting the department Web site: www.co.essex.ny.us/PublicHealth.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Franklin County has scheduled several H1N1 flu clinics.
Priority for vaccination is being given to pregnant women; children and young adults 3 to 24 years of age; and people who care for infants 6 months old and younger.
As long as the H1N1 vaccine is available, clinics will be held:
Today: Saranac Lake High School, only for people who reside in the School District and are age 6 months to 24 years or are people who care for infants less than 6 months of age. Minors must be accompanied by a adult.
Nov. 9: Brushton-Moira Central School, 3 to 5 p.m.
Nov. 16: Franklin Academy High School, Malone, 3 to 5 p.m.
Dec. 4: North Country Community College, Saranac Lake, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More information is available on the Public Health page of the county Web site: www.franklincony.org.
CLINTON COUNTY
In Clinton County, a seasonal flu clinic will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Thursday at the Peru Veterans of Foreign Wars Post on Route 22B.
The H1N1 vaccine will not be available at this clinic.
For more information, call 565-4848.
H1N1 SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of the H1N1 flu are similar to those that come with seasonal flu and include: fever, coughing and/or sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches and/or body aches, chills and fatigue. In addition to these symptoms, a number of H1N1 flu cases have included vomiting and diarrhea.
H1N1 has often been marked by a fast onset of symptoms.
People aren't being tested for H1N1, also known as swine flu, unless they are seriously ill.
H1N1 is the only identified flu in the state at this point; there is no other seasonal flu.
WHAT TO DO
Health officials say that 99 percent of people with H1N1 will have a mild case and will get over swine flu without the need to visit a doctor or hospital.
The most common advice for flu patients is to stay home, take Tylenol or Motrin for fever, drink a lot of fluids and get plenty of rest.
In response to the massive increase in patients going to emergency rooms, health officials are asking people who think they may have the H1N1 flu to conduct a self-assessment before going to the hospital for treatment. To do that, visit www.flu.gov and click on the "Self-Evaluation" link.
People without Internet access should call their local health department for more information.
The people in most danger from H1N1 are those with underlying medical conditions.
Seek medical attention immediately if you have difficulty breathing or chest pain, have purple or blue discoloration of your lips, are vomiting and unable to keep liquids down or show signs of dehydration, such as feeling dizzy when standing or being unable to urinate.


