WELLSBURG - The Brooke County Health Department will make vaccinations for the swine flu available to Brooke County children age 6 months and older and adults ages 25-64 with chronic conditions at a free clinic to be held Saturday morning.

Those interested in participating in the clinic are asked to make a reservation by calling the health department at (304) 737-3665 before 5 p.m. today.

Karen McClain, the department's administrator, said other clinics will be held and there's no concern about the county's supply of swine flu vaccines being exhausted at this time.

McClain said while more than 1,000 children received the vaccines at a clinic in October, there are 3,500 enrolled in the Brooke County School District. She believes the light turnout is due to some apprehension about the drug that's unfounded.

She acknowledged one concern stems from the presence of themiserol, a mercury-based preservative some have linked to autism. The link has been controversial, but as a precaution, themiserol has been removed or limited to small traces in vaccines for children in recent years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And themiserol isn't included in the mist used to vaccinate most children, CDC officials said.

McClain said because the mist stimulates a strong response from one's immune system, it's not recommended for pregnant women or children or adults with chronic conditions such as asthma, who may receive the vaccine through injections.

The injected vaccine is available with and without themiserol.

McClain said the health department isn't likely to receive any new information about a Brooke County resident reported on Wednesday to have died from the flu.

She said the resident was an adult who suffered from chronic medical conditions before getting the flu. But she said she doesn't know whether the person had the swine flu or the seasonal flu because the medical facility that treated her didn't have that information.

Most hospitals and physicians don't have the facilities to test for the strain of flu, she said, and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has been collecting only random mucous samples from flu patients seen by doctors and hospitals.

The purpose of the samples is to indicate a trend for the strain in a given community, and county health departments aren't provided specific information about positive swine flu samples, McClain said.

The CDC reports that about 36,000 people die each year from the seasonal flu, often because it causes them to be vulnerable to bacterial pneumonia.

McClain said besides taking good care of one's health and practicing good hygiene, people should vaccinate themselves against the seasonal flu.

The health department conducts flu vaccinations from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each Wednesday, she said, and walk-ins are welcome.

While the swine flu vaccine isn't suggested for adults age 65 and older because they are said to have built up an immunity through previous contact with the virus, the seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for seniors, McClain noted.

Those with Medicare, Advantra or the Health Plan should bring their cards. Others are asked to pay $15, but no one will be turned away for inability to pay.

For information, call the health department at (304) 737-3665.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com)