Where to Get a H1N1 Shot in Minneapolis/St. Paul

Unless you've been living in a cave, you'll know it's flu season and you've heard all about Swine Flu, H1N1 flu, and regular flu.

Health officials recommend that at-risk individuals get a flu shot in the fall. This year it's a little more complicated, because the regular seasonal flu shot doesn't protect against H1N1 flu. So, to be protected, you'll need both a seasonal flu vaccine and a H1N1 vaccine.

Regular flu shots are currently in short supply. People who are at the most risk of complications from flu have priority - the very young, those with chronic diseases, pregnant women, health care workers, those with exposure to the general public - over healthy adults.  Flu shots are available at your regular doctor's office, some Target and Walgreens stores, pharmacies and local clinics. The Minnesota Department of Health has a list of clinics with the regular seasonal flu shot.

Minnesota hasn't received all the doses of flu shots that would be needed for everyone who wants one. The MDH expects to have more shots to vaccinate everyone in at-risk groups soon, and enough to meet the expected demand by Thanksgiving.

That's regular seasonal flu. Then, there's H1N1 flu, which the seasonal flu shot doesn't protect against. And, unfortunately, most cases of flu this season are indeed H1N1. Mercifully H1N1 doesn't appear to be the certain death that some though it would be, but it's still a nasty illness and still fatal in a number of cases.

Minnesota only has very limited numbers of H1N1 shots and currently those are reserved for the most at-risk people. The H1N1 vaccine in the state has been randomly distributed between clinics in Minnesota, the only one I could find in the Metro area is Park Nicollet, who have a limited supply reserved for high-risk patients, and Southdale Pediatrics, who have a very limited supply for high risk patients seen in their offices. A few other clinics, like Fairview Clinics, have vaccine but are contacting their high risk patients to arrange vaccinations, it isn't available to anyone else yet. The MDH expects to have more vaccine available in the next two or three weeks. Again, the majority of doses may not arrive until late November, but eventually there should be enough for everyone who wants one.

So, for now, most of us have to wait for the flu shot. Take precautions to avoid the flu like frequent handwashing to avoid getting sick, and if you are sick, stay home until your symptoms have cleared up.

More Information: Minnesota Department of Health's Flu Information