News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2010
MEDIA CONTACT: Joyce Brennan
Public Information Officer
Southcoast Health System
Phone: 508-961-5270
Fax: 508-961-5876
Pager: 508-387-9605
brennanj@southcoast.org
www.southcoast.org/news/releases/
Southcoast announces public H1N1 flu vaccine clinics
Vaccination is open to the public; high risk groups urged to attend
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Southcoast Hospitals Group will be hosting free public
H1N1 flu vaccination clinics at its three hospital sites next week. The following are the times and
locations:

Tuesday, January 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. at St. Luke’s Hospital, White Home
building (adjacent to ER entrance), 101 Page Street, New Bedford, Mass.

Wednesday, January 13, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Charlton Memorial Hospital,
Mooney Conference Room, 363 Highland Avenue, Fall River. The entrance to the
clinic and parking are located at the back of the hospital off Prospect Street.

Thursday, January 14, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Tobey Hospital, main lobby entrance,
43 High Street, Wareham.
The Southcoast H1N1 flu vaccination clinics are open to all community members
throughout the South Coast region. Vaccinations will be administered on a first come, first served
basis. Participants are asked to bring health insurance cards, but it is not required. Interpreter
services will be available.
The clinics are open to all individuals, but Southcoast further recommends that the
following high priority groups attend:

Under the age of 25 year old.

Children 6 months to 18 years of age (Must be accompanied by a Parent or Guardian)

Children 9 years and under should receive 2 doses of H1N1 vaccine
IMPORTANT: Any child who has received the first of their two doses MUST bring
documentation of the first dose of vaccine to this clinic because Center for Disease
Control recommends a 28 day interval between doses for maximum effectiveness.

High risk patients between the ages of 19 to 64 years old. High risk means that you
may have a chronic medical conditions such as:
— Respiratory (including asthma and COPD)
— Heart disease (except high blood pressure alone)
— Kidney, liver, blood disorders, neurologic/neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders
such as diabetes
— Immunosuppression (incl. that induced by medications, illness or by HIV )

Women who are pregnant, up to 2 weeks post partum (including after pregnancy
loss) and have not yet received H1N1 vaccine from their obstetrician.

Household member or caregiver of infants younger than 6 months of age.

Household member of pregnant women in their third trimester to ensure their
newborns go home to a safe environment.
Please check with your physician if you have questions or concerns about receiving the
H1N1 flu vaccine. Questions about the clinics at St. Luke’s and Tobey hospitals can be directed
to 508-961-5560. Questions about the clinic at Charlton Memorial Hospital can be directed to
508-679-3131 Ext. 2988.
About Southcoast Health System & Southcoast Hospitals Group
Southcoast Health System is a community based health delivery system with multiple
access points, offering an integrated continuum of health services throughout Southeastern
Massachusetts and East Bay, Rhode Island. It includes the three hospitals that make up
Southcoast Hospitals Group — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital in
New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.
Southcoast provides advanced clinical services, such as open heart surgery, angioplasty
and heart rhythm services, comprehensive cancer care, neurosurgery, weight loss surgery,
orthopedic surgery and advanced imaging services and is the only provider of maternity services
in the region. Southcoast is a not-for-profit charitable organization that depends on the support of
the community to provide services.
More information is available online at www.southcoast.org.
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