The D.C. Department of Health announced Thursday that it is reducing the hours and frequency of its free H1N1 vaccine clinics in order to be able to send more doses to doctor's offices and community health centers. DOH says that over 11,000 people have been served in D.C.'s clinics in the past two weeks. more ›

Unless you've got little kids or are under 24 (and apparently the young people care not for this vaccine, if the Post is to be believed), you probably haven't even tried to go get an H1N1 vaccine yet. The District government only late last week opened up its free vaccine clinics to adults over age 24, and for the time being, that only includes adults with underlying health conditions such as asthma or diabetes, or those who are currently or will soon be caregivers of children under 6 months. more ›

Flu season might not have a theme song, but it's got a mascot and league officials and rally towels. And flu season is upon us. This year, it's just as confusing as the BCS to boot. There are now two shots (or sprays) to consider -- one for seasonal influenza and one for the dreaded H1N1 bug -- and you'll need to consult the strength-of-schedule rankings for your Ward to determine whether you're eligible to receive an H1N1 vaccination. What does that even mean? It means you need to ask yourself: more ›

Even when the news is bad, it's at least reassuring to read that what you've anecdotally observed is in fact part of a larger trend. The Post today says that hospitals are reporting a sharp rise in summer flu cases across the region, something we've certainly noticed seems to be true based on the number of friends and colleagues who have come down with nasty bugs in the last month. The main culprit does appear to be the H1N1 virus, aka Swine Flu, which explains why there are so many new flu cases at a time of year when there are typically zero. The really special part? "The federal authorities said it's too early to tell whether those who contract H1N1 now will be immune in fall when the flu season kicks into high gear." So those of you who've been sick for the last two weeks may get to do this all over again in December. Think about investing in Campbell's chicken noodle soup. more ›