MAYVILLE - The Chautauqua County Department of Health will offer H1N1 influenza vaccinations to the following priority populations exclusively at this week's Health Department immunization clinics. Only the following vaccinations will be offered:

• Injectable form for pregnant women

• Injectable form for Children ages 6 months through 35 months

• Nasal spray form for HEALTHY persons ages 2 years through 24 years WITHOUT underlying medical conditions such as asthma, arthritis or lupus, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and heart or kidney disease.

The immunization clinics that will be offering this service include:

• Jamestown Branch Office, 319 Central Ave., Jamestown - Wednesday from 9 to 11 a.m. and Thursday 1 to 4 p.m.

• Dunkirk Branch Office, 110 E. Fourth St., Dunkirk - Wednesday 1 to 4 p.m.

"The Health Department has received regular, small shipments of the H1N1 influenza vaccine which have been reallocated to private health care providers and used at school-located clinics," said Christine Schuyler, County Public Health Director. "It's imperative to vaccinate as many of the priority populations as possible and we're doing our best to make that happen. While people are encouraged to seek vaccination from their physicians, we realize that given the current situation, this isn't always possible and will distribute vaccine as it becomes available."

Schuyler said the Health Department continues to work closely with county school districts on school-located vaccination clinics and are making incredible progress with this vaccination campaign.

Parents can expect to hear when a clinic will take place at their school from their school district as soon as details are available. Vaccine information, consent forms and other documents and details will be sent home with school children for parental review and signature.

Health officials are not testing residents for swine flu, so no numbers are available on how many residents have been infected.

Schuyler said influenza-like illness, assumed to be the H1N1 influenza virus, remains widespread. Residents are reminded of important measures to take to reduce their chances of getting and spreading the flu:

• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your elbow, not your hands. Throw the tissue in the trash.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if a sink isn't near.

• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. Flu spreads that way.

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• Stay home when you are sick, and do not return to school or work until you have been fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours.

County residents with questions or concerns related to seasonal and H1N1 influenza should call 2-1-1 or the NYS Health Department toll free hotline (1-800-808-1987).

The Chautauqua County Health Department's Web site, www.co.chautauqua.ny.us, is also updated with the most current information weekly on Mondays.

The public can also obtain more information about the flu and at NYSDOH's web site at www.nyhealth.gov or at the CDC's flu Web site at www.flu.gov.