Putting H1N1 under a microscope

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H1N1 information 
sessions next week

The Whiteside County Health Department, in the hopes of dispelling rumors and encouraging more people to get the H1N1 vaccine, is offering four informational sessions about the vaccine and why people should consider getting it.

Three will be held at local high schools and are meant to encourage parents to have their children receive the H1N1 vaccine, which the department will be offering free of charge at schools next week.

Dr. Hussein Zaioor, who treats infectious diseases at the Sterling-Rock Falls Clinic, says rumors that the H1N1 vaccine is not safe and was not tested are not true.

“It’s not dangerous,” Zaioor said. “It has the same reactions as the seasonal flu vaccine.”

When people receive the seasonal flu vaccine, they may experience some irritation at the site of the shot, some nausea and a headache, but for no more than a day, Zaioor said.

“When people ask me, ‘Are you going to give you kids the vaccine,’ I say, ‘Of course I’m going to.’”

Pregnant women, people ages 6 months to 24 years, people 25 to 64 with recurring health conditions such as diabetes, health care workers with direct patient contact, and parents of children younger than 6 months are considered high risk and are first in line for the vaccine.

To attend

Dr. Hussein Zaioor, Sterling-Rock Falls Clinic’s infectious disease physician, will hold four question-and-answer sessions on H1N1, geared toward parents of local school children but open to anyone.

They are:

■ 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Sterling High School library, 1608 Fourth Ave.

■ 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Sterling Coliseum, 212 Third Ave.

■ 6:45 p.m. Thursday in the Rock Falls High School cafeteria, 101 12th Ave.

■ 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Newman High School  gym, 1101 W. 23rd St., Sterling.

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