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You no longer have to be in the high risk groups to get the H1N1 shot.

If your kids go to get their picture taken at the mall with Santa this year, you may notice something new at the display: Hand sanitizer. At Cottonwood Mall, kids were lined up Thursday to give Santa their Christmas wishes, but stopped at the hand sanitizer before jumping on the big guy's lap in hopes of keeping the H1N1 virus from spreading. In between kids, Santa changes out his gloves— just like someone who makes your sandwich. Parent Dolores Vallejos said, "I think it's a good idea because they're around a lot of children and I think by washing their hands with sanitizer it has some control on it." Santa's suits are being cleaned more often, and his sitting area gets disinfected regularly. Santas at malls all across the country are having to do it, to keep from getting and spreading the H1N1 virus. The precautions are something Jennifer Nanez is happy to hear about. Her 3-year-old daughter, Julissa, caught a bad case of the flu this year, and just recently got out of the hospital for an illness. Nanez said, "It's good, my daughter has severe asthma and she's had to go through a lot of stuff, a lot. She just got out of the hospital from all kinds of stuff so I got to watch her, got to carry all of that stuff." Santa and his helpers are also being encouraged to gargle with mouthwash or salt water every day, and to drink warm liquids.

(11/30/09) - Tuesday, Tennessee will allow clinics to vaccinate anyone who requests it.

The second round of statewide mass vaccination clinics designed to immunize Arkansans against both seasonal and H1N1 influenza will begin December 7.

New Mexico Health Department officials say four more people have died from swine flu, bringing the statewide total this year to 40 deaths. The latest deaths include a baby boy from Quay County and a 49-year-old man from Bernalillo County, both without chronic medical conditions. A 54-year-old woman from Curry County and a 74-year-old woman from Valencia County who had chronic medical conditions also died this past week. The state Health Department has found that American Indians are over-represented in deaths related to swine flu, also known as H1N1. This ethnic group represents 10 percent of New Mexico's population, but accounts for 20 percent of the deaths. The department will target vaccination efforts toward American Indians.

H1N1 cases may be on the decline but there could be an increase in season flu.

The H1N1 vaccine is now being offered to people up to 64 years old with chronic health conditions. First District Health Unit will hold an H1N1 vaccination clinic tomorrow from 9 am to 1 pm, or until the vaccine runs out, at the Minot Municipal Auditorium. All priority groups identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are eligible for the vaccine, including children and adults 6 months through 24 years of age, pregnant women, parents, siblings and caregivers of infants under 6 months old, and finally, people ages 25 through 64 with chronic underlying health conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, among others. Second doses of the vaccine will also be offered to children nine years old and under who were vaccinated before October 27th.

An H1N1 Clinic held at the Fresno Fairgrounds focused primarily on pregnant women and thousands showed up.

Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke have a higher risk of chest and ear infections, asthma, and sudden infant death syndrome. And those risks are multiplied inside of a car.

Healthy children aged under five are to be given the swine flu jab

Santa pleads with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add him to the H1N1 vaccine priority list.

School working to dispell doubts about treatment.

Low income families try to juggle time off from work to take care of sick kids.

A report detailing federal stimulus dollars shows that some of them appear to be going to nonexistent Congressional districts.