AR Clinics Give 170K-Plus Flu Shots

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - State health officials say 172,873 doses of seasonal and swine flu vaccine were given in mass clinics around Arkansas late last week.

A news release Tuesday from the state Health Department said 148,961 doses of seasonal flu vaccine and 23,912 doses of vaccine against swine flu -- also known as the H1N1 strain -- were given to Arkansans on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Dr. Paul Halverson, director of the Health Department, said that, because of the extreme shortage of swine-flu vaccine, those doses were limited to children 6 months to 4 years, other children 5 to 18 with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women.

The release said that, as Arkansas gets more of the swine-flu vaccine, it will continue to be given to those priority groups first.