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Feb 9, 2007 4:24 pm US/Central
High Interest In Flu Shots After Children's Deaths
Minneapolis (AP) ―
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Three children have died of flu in Minnesota this season. (File)
Minnesota residents rushed to get flu shots Friday, a day after the state announced that two more Minnesota children had died of influenza.
By noon Friday, about 1,000 people had signed up for a free flu-shot clinic Saturday at Children's Hospitals and Clinics in St. Paul.Spokeswoman Allison Sandve said people who haven't already called to register for that clinic can check a state health department
Web site to find another option.
"We're getting callers from all over the state," said Robert Einweck of St. Paul Ramsey Public Health, which is overseeing the clinic. "We've got callers camped out on our phone line for 45 minutes waiting on hold."
The St. Paul clinic has already extended its hours Saturday but still can't handle all the requests, he said.
Other groups also announced plans Friday for more flu-shot clinics this weekend, including several at Park Nicollet clinics. A nursing group offering vaccinations at 18 Cub Foods stores in the Twin Cities doubled the number of nurses on hand to meet the rising demand.
While news of the two deaths seemed to be creating a wave of anxiety among parents, health officials cautioned that there's no evidence the flu virus is more dangerous this year than usual. But it has been more widespread than normal, they said, with flu cases spiking dramatically in the past few weeks, especially at schools.
So far, the Health Department has reported 224 flu cases in Minnesota schools this season -- more than were reported during the entire 2005-2006 flu season.
The latest victims, who have not been identified, were an 8-year-old and a 17-month-old. They were from Hennepin and Isanti counties. News of the deaths came a week after the death of 8-year-old Lucio Satar of St. Paul.
None of the children who died had been vaccinated, health officials said.
Three children have died of flu in Minnesota this season. Nationally, 13 children have died of the flu this season.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
