The Paulding County Health Department received 2,600 doses of injectable H1N1 vaccine a week ago and still has about 925 doses to administer to priority individuals.

As recommended by Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, priority is being given to pregnant women; caregivers of infants 6 months old and younger; childre n and young adults 6 months to 24 years old; people 24-64 with medical conditions that include asthma, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease and immunosuppressive disorders; and health care and emergency medical service workers.

Walk-ins can receive the vaccine from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays (except for this Wednesday, when the Health Department is closed for Veterans Day), 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays.

The vaccine is free, but clients are asked to bring private insurance, Medicare, Medicare supplement, PeachCare or Medicaid cards because a small administration fee might be charged to insurance. “No client will be billed or expected to pay, and clients with no insurance will not be charged or expected to pay,” added Nurse Manager Teresa Knight.

“This vaccination campaign will last for many weeks and months, and eventually we expect to have plenty of the H1N1 vaccine, enough so everyone who wants it can get it,” said Knight.

Information about administering the vaccine and its availability is at 770-443-7881.

And the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Division of Public Health has established an H1N1 hotline for the public at 888-H1N1 INFO. Recorded messages on the hotline include information about the influenza-like illness, H1N1 testing criteria and instructions and vaccine information. Recorded messages can be heard at any time, and callers can access a live specialist from 8 a.m. to midnight daily.

Additional information about H1N1 is at:

• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: www.flu.gov;

• Department of Community Health: www.health.state.ga.us/h1n1flu;

• Northwest Georgia Public Health: www.nwgapublichealth.org.