The Eagle County Public Health Department will hold its next H1N1 flu vaccination clinic from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at the old Battle Mountain High School location in Eagle-Vail, in the eastern part of the Vail Valley. The vaccine is free and will be available to anyone age 6 months to 24 years, adults age 25 to 64 years with chronic health conditions, anyone who lives with or provides regular care for children younger than 6 months of age and pregnant women.

Also, guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control indicate that children age 9 years or younger should receive two doses of the vaccine, at least four weeks apart, for maximum effectiveness.

According to public health officials, the symptoms of influenza are similar to those caused by many other viruses so to ensure full protection against H1N1, residents are advised to receive the vaccine even if they have already experienced flu-like illness.

Screening will take place at the entrance of the clinic and those who do not fall into a priority group will not be given the vaccination. Additional clinics will continue to be scheduled on a week-by-week basis, depending on vaccine availability. Times and locations will be posted to www.eaglecounty.us/flu every Friday.

County health officials will continue to open the clinics to additional priority groups and the general public as more vaccine becomes available.

For more information about the flu, including the latest information on local flu clinic times and locations, call the CoHELP line at 1-877-462-2911. The call center has both English- and Spanish-speaking health professionals available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.