Martha Eliot Health Center

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinics

Martha Eliot Health Center conducted one of the first H1N1 vaccination clinics for the City of Boston on November 5, 2009. The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) identified MEHC as a preferred partner to offer the H1N1 clinic given the success of recent seasonal flu clinics at the health center. The vaccination clinic was a collaborative effort involving BPHC, Boston Emergency Medical Services and Boston Children's Hospital.

Over 650 people from near and far received the H1N1 vaccine. H1N1 flu, previously known as "swine flu," is a new strain of flu virus. H1N1 flu is spread the same way, causes the same symptoms and is treated the same way as seasonal flu. The main difference between seasonal flu and H1N1 flu is that most people do not have immunity or protection against H1N1 since this is a new strain of flu. Since few people have protection against H1N1 flu, more people could become sick with this type of flu.

According to Eleni Carr, MEHC's Executive Director, despite multiple reports of other clinics being overwhelmed by people seeking seasonal flu vaccines this season, the health center's H1N1 vaccination clinic ran extremely smooth.

"This was truly a tremendous outcome. I was both impressed and proud to witness this event unfold Thursday evening," Carr said.