POINT PLEASANT — After much anticipation, the Mason County Health Department has announced that the H1N1 vaccine will be available to the general public on Monday, Dec. 14.

According to the health department, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) Bureau of Public Health has allowed local health departments to expand the eligibility guidelines for H1N1 clinics to include all of the population. Diana Riddle, administrative and nursing director of the Mason County Health Department, said that she was pleased to be able to offer the vaccine to everyone before the Christmas holiday.

Clinics will take place from 1 to 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 14 at Ashton Baptist Church; 1 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15 at the New Haven Community Center; 1 to 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17 at the Leon Town Hall; and 1 to 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18 at the Old Central School gymnasium on Main St. in Point Pleasant. Following these dates, the vaccine will be offered at the health department every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Riddle, the H1N1 vaccines are free. She encouraged all age groups to get vaccinated. Although the H1N1 flu illness has declined, Riddle said that unlike seasonal influenza, pandemic influenzas, such as H1N1, can reoccur within the year.

It takes approximately eight to 10 days for the H1N1 vaccine to provide immunity against the virus. The vaccine is available in both injectable and nasal mist form, and both types are equally safe and effective against H1N1 flu virus. Adults only need one dose of the vaccine, while children ages nine and under must have a second dose four weeks following their first vaccination.

The 2009 H1N1 flu is a new flu virus. It is very different from seasonal influenza viruses, although the symptoms are similar. The H1N1 virus spreads from person to person through coughing, sneezing and sometimes touching objects that have been contaminated with the virus. Symptoms of H1N1 include a sore throat, cough and fever greater than 100 degrees. In addition, those effected could experience frequent sneezing, fatigue and chills along with body aches. Diarrhea and vomiting also have been reported in some H1N1 cases.

For more information on the H1N1 vaccine, contact the health department at 304-675-3050.