Gregg County is scheduled to offer its first public vaccination clinic today for the H1N1 flu.

Supplies of the vaccine are limited, and administrative assistant Michelle Skyrme said the clinic will be strictly following state and national guidelines for whom is eligible to receive the vaccine.

"Most physicians in private practice also have supplies of the H1N1 vaccine, and we'd really encourage people to contact their family doctor about receiving the vaccine," Skyrme said. "We only have 400 doses, and we don't know when we'll be receiving another supply."

People eligible to receive the vaccine at the clinic are:

- All children ages 2 up to 5 years old.

- Children 5 to 18 years old who have underlying health problems that puts them at high-risk, including chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, hematological, neurological neuromuscular or metabolic disorders, immunosuppression, or who are on long-term aspirin therapy.

- Pregnant women.

- Health care workers who serve vaccine-eligible patients.

Skyrme said anyone who has received the live virus-nasal mist seasonal flu influenza vaccine must wait at least 28 days before they can receive the H1N1 vaccine.

"We want to make sure the vaccines go to the people at highest-risk, so we'd ask that people who don't meet any of the guidelines to please not come to the clinic," Skyrme said. "I really want to stress that it will be given only to those who meet the criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control."

Middle-aged and elderly people are not at high risk for H1N1 flu, she said. However, elderly people are more vulnerable to seasonal flu.

"We've already administered about 1,200 seasonal flu vaccines and probably won't be receiving any more," Skyrme said. "We've got a few left for children, but adults need to contact their family physicians about getting the seasonal flu vaccines."

Seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines are in short supply because of increased demand, she said.

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If you go

- What: H1N1 vaccine clinic

- When: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today; possibly Friday, if supplies last

- Where: Gregg County Health Department Auditorium, 405 E. Marshall Ave.

- Cost: Free

- Contact: (903) 237-2605