Area's first H1N1 vaccines given this morning

RINGGOLD, Ga. — About 10 families lined up outside the Catoosa County Health Department early this morning to receive the area’s first dosages of the H1N1 vaccinations.

Catoosa County had 300 doses of the vaccine available this morning.

Sheilena Futch and her husband Chris brought their 3-year-old son Seth to be vaccinated today because she was worried about the virus spreading.

“I’m very worried about it. I think it’s going to be bigger than polio.”

Health departments in the 10-county Northwest Georgia Public Health district had received a total of 3,500 doses of the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine. The Catoosa, Dade and Walker County health departments had a total of 700 doses of FluMist vaccine, officials said.

Officials expected supplies of the vaccine to be exhausted by day’s end.

The vaccine in nasal spray form contains live virus and is recommended only for nonpregnant, healthy people under age 49. Today’s vaccination was only available for healthy children ages 2-4. Health officials in Tennessee and Georgia expect the injectable H1N1 vaccine will arrive within the next few weeks.

Health departments in the Southeast Tennessee district, the 10 counties surrounding Hamilton County, began offering FluMist to healthy health care workers on Wednesday.