Two new H1N1 vaccination clinics for the general public will be held in January.

The next Nevada County clinic for swine flu vaccinations will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4, at the Grass

Valley Veterans Memorial Building, 255 S. Auburn St., Grass Valley.

Another clinic will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds Main Building on McCourtney Road.

The clinics will be open to everyone, regardless of age group or medical condition. This will be a good opportunity to get children ages 6 months to 9 years their second dose.

This week, the county reported its first fatality due to H1N1, a 52-year-old woman. Because H1N1 cases are reported by county of residence, it is not known whether the woman died in the county.

County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Milman would not divulge the location of the 52-year-old woman's home or the hospital where she died.

The woman had not been immunized against H1N1, to the county's knowledge, Milman said. She added the woman had been taking anti-viral medication and was hospitalized for just a few days before she died.

Nevada County has had 13 suspected and confirmed H1N1 cases, county Public Health Coordinator Patti Carter said.

“We're still waiting for lab confirmations on some,” she said.

Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital has seen three confirmed cases, said spokeswoman Brett Bentley.

Nasal spray vaccine recalled for ‘shelf life' issue

Some nasal-spray vaccines received in the county for H1N1 swine flu are subject to a voluntary recall issued by the United States Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration.

But the voluntary recall is not a concern for Nevada County, since health care workers already used up the vaccines.

“It is not a safety-related recall,” county Public Health Coordinator Patti Carter said. “The recall is because the shelf life of the vaccine is less than expected. Since Nevada County received this vaccine in early October, it already has been administered, and recipients are expected to have full immunity.”

Children 9 years of age and younger require two doses to be fully immunized regardless of the vaccine formulation they have received.

To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call 477-4229.

VACCINE RECALL Q & A Q: Why are some lots of the nasal spray 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine being recalled from the market? A: First, the recall is not safety-related. As part of its quality assurance program, the manufacturer of the nasal spray monovalent 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine, MedImmune, performs routine, ongoing stability testing of the vaccine. Stability testing means measuring the strength (also called potency) of the vaccine over time to make sure it does not go below a pre-specified limit during the vaccine's “shelf life.” On Dec. 18 and 21, the manufacturer notified CDC and FDA that the potency in 13 batches of nasal spray vaccine had decreased below the pre-specified limit or were at risk of falling below that limit within the upcoming week. The vaccine was within the specified range at the time the vaccine was distributed. The slight decrease in potency should not affect how the vaccine works. However, the manufacturer will send providers directions for returning any unused vaccine from these lots. Q: Are there any concerns about safety of vaccines from these lots? A: No. There are no safety concerns with these lots of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. All lots successfully passed pre-release testing for safety, purity and potency. Q: Should people who received vaccines from these lots be revaccinated? A: No. The vaccine potency is or will soon be only slightly below the limit. In addition, much of this vaccine already was administered while fully potent and within specifications. The vaccine in these lots is still expected to be effective in stimulating a protective response. There is no need to re-administer a dose to those who received vaccine from these lots. For additional information, visit MyNevadaCounty.com/ph or call the “warmline” at (530) 265-7258.