Sunday's LA County Swine Flu Clinics

Monrovia - Los Angeles County public health workers will be giving free swine flu vaccines to children and pregnant women in Monrovia and the high-desert community of Quartz Hill today.

Starting at 9 a.m., vaccines will be available at the Monrovia Community Center, 119 W. Palm Drive, and the clinic will run until 4 p.m.

Starting at noon at the George Lane Park in Quartz Hill, 5520 West Avenue L-8, vaccines will be available until 5 p.m.

Those planning to go to Los Angeles County clinics were urged to review the vaccination form, found in several languages on the department's Web site. Those in a priority group should bring in a completed form.

The priority groups are:

• pregnant women;
• young people 6 months to 24 years old;
• people living with or caring for infants under 6 months of age;
• health care workers, teachers and emergency service personnel; and
• individuals ages 25-64 with health conditions that put them at higher risk for flu-related complications.

People 25-64 years old without underlying health problems, those over 65 years old and those not caring for an infant younger than 6 months are being asked to defer vaccinations.

Free clinics started in Orange County Saturday and will resume next weekend. Orange County pregnant women seeking H1N1 vaccines, which will be available Monday-Friday, need to make appointments by calling (800) 564-8448.

Vaccines will be given at HCA offices at 1725 W. 17th St.

About 115 children have died from complications of the virus nationwide. Children tend to have few immunities to various strains of the virus, while adults who have built up resistance to flu viruses over the years do better in fighting off the disease.

A list of future locations and hours is available here, or publichealth.lacounty.gov, or by calling the county's 211 information line.