Clinics are scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday in the Migrant Head Start Building classroom, 39839 County Road 17A, Woodland, and from noon to 3 p.m. May 27 at the Broderick Christian Center, 110 Sixth St., West Sacramento.

Free vaccines are also offered regularly at the Yolo County Health Department, 137 N. Cottonwood St., Woodland. The clinic is open from 2 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.

For more information, go to www.yolohealth.org or call (530) 666-8645.

The county's Health Services Department will offer the vaccine free to county residents of all ages at two community clinics this month.

The first is scheduled from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in the multipurpose room at South Lake Tahoe Middle School, 2940 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe. The second will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 18 in the fellowship hall at Light of the Hills Lutheran Church, 3100 Rodeo Road, Cameron Park, behind Burke Junction.

The H1N1 vaccine also is available by appointment at the El Dorado County Health Services Department by calling (530) 621-6100 in Placerville or (530) 573-3155 in South Lake Tahoe.

During February, South Lake Tahoe residents may also receive the vaccine through one of the walk-in clinics held from 1 to 4 p.m. each Wednesday at the Health Services Department, 1360 Johnson Blvd., Suite 103, in South Lake Tahoe.

Health officials say children 9 years old and younger should receive two doses of the vaccine, administered at least four weeks apart, to have the best protection. Some individuals, such as people who are severely allergic to eggs and infants younger than 6 months old, should not receive the H1N1 vaccine.

Updated information on the H1N1 flu is available on the Web site at www.edcgov.us/publichealth.

Sacramento County

• Today: 1-5 p.m., Chabolla Center, 610 Chabolla Ave., Galt.

• Friday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., County Administrative Center, 700 H St., Sacramento.

El Dorado County

• Today: 1-3 p.m., Pioneer Bible Church, 6851 Mount Aukum Road, Somerset.

Placer County

• Today: 2-6 p.m., McBean Park, 65 McBean Park Drive, Lincoln.

Yolo County

• Today and Jan. 21: 2-5 p.m., Yolo County Health Department, 500-B Jefferson Blvd., West Sacramento.

• Tuesday: 2-5 p.m., Winters Public Library, 708 Railroad Ave., Winters.

• Wednesday: 2-5 p.m., Yolo County Health Department, 137 N. Cottonwood St., Woodland.

• Jan. 25: 2-5 p.m., Yolo County Health Department, 137 N. Cottonwood St., Woodland.

• Jan. 27: 2-5 p.m., Yolo County Health Department, 137 N. Cottonwood St., Woodland.

Health officials have urged people to be vaccinated against the so-called swine flu. County health departments also offer shots.

To see which Rite Aid stores are offering the service, at a cost of $15 per shot, visit www.riteaid.com/H1N1.

– Bobby Caina Calvan

The first is today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rosemont High School, 9594 Kiefer Blvd., Sacramento.

And the second is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Natomas High School, 3301 Fong Ranch Road, Sacramento.

Vaccinations are free and available to Sacramento County residents.

• Initial federal government predictions that 50 million doses would be available in October and more than 100 million in November were unrealistic. The vaccine is only now becoming more widely available. As of last week, California had received nearly 10 million doses.

• Manufacturers already in production for regular doses of the seasonal flu vaccine had to shift to production of the H1N1 vaccine – a process that took longer than expected.

• California gave Kaiser Permanente special access to the first wave of vaccines in October, ahead of other health care providers with a greater proportion of high-risk patients.

• Many counties reported initially receiving only a trickle of the supplies they had requested.

• Supplies that were delivered often arrived with little or no warning.

• Some area counties were able to offer free mass vaccination clinics before others. Sacramento has been holding clinics for a month. Sacramento, Placer, Yolo and El Dorado counties now offer clinics open to everybody.

– Anna Tong

Demand for seasonal flu shots high, supplies limited

Forget about H1N1. We're still getting calls about where to get the seasonal flu vaccine.

Seasonal flu is most worrisome to the elderly, who are at greatest risk of complications. While there have been few infections here so far, public health officials warn that the normal flu season is just kicking in, and extends through February.

Seasonal flu vaccines are scarce in the area. Tips for getting a seasonal flu shot:

• Check with your local doctor. All the area's major hospital systems have limited supplies of seasonal flu vaccine for their patients.

• Check with a retail outlet, including:

TravelMed: $25 for shots, $45 for the mist. Call (916) 254-2100 to make an appointment. There are two sites: 5282 Elvas Ave., Sacramento, open Monday through Friday, and 850 Iron Point Road, Suite 150, Folsom, open Tuesday and Thursday.

Safeway: $30 for shots. Call your local Safeway to make an appointment and check for availability.

Rite Aid: $30. Call to make an appointment; availability varies.

ON YOUR GUARD

Ask what's behind the award before you accept it

Local businesses have been hit with an offer labeled by the Better Business Bureau as "vanity awards."

Businesses are contacted by an organization called US Commerce Association and informed the business has been chosen for a "Best of Sacramento" award, if the company pays for a plaque, which can cost from $80 to $200.

The company has a Web site where "winners" are directed to go and make payments: us-commerce-association.org

The Web site has no telephone number or address.

"The award is essentially the opportunity to buy a plaque. You are not earning anything," said Barry Goggin, president of the Better Business Bureau of Northeast California. "This widespread scheme could be an attempt to obtain access to company information or sell plaques by an entity that may not be what it represents itself as being."

An e-mail on the company's Web site requesting comment was not answered.

The company has an F rating with the BBB.

Goggin advises business owners to ask questions: Who is making the award? Can you verify the group's existence, location, and history? What is the cost to the honoree for the award? If you don't get answers, pass up the offer.

Yolo County's health department is holding a clinic 4 to 7 p.m at the Woodland Community and Senior Center's meeting room 2.

Unlike Sacramento County, which has opened its H1N1 vaccine clinics to all residents, Yolo County is restricting its clinics. Only pregnant women, parents of infants under 6 months and those aged 6 months to 24 years can get the vaccine.

The address of the Woodland Communtiy and Senior Center is 2001 East Street, Woodland.

Yolo County's public health department has planned three additional clinics on Dec. 12, 14 and 16.

Those planning to attend one of the clinics should come prepared to wait, and to wait outdoors. The weather will be cold, and may be rainy, so dress accordingly.

• Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Harper Junior High School, Multipurpose Room, 4000 E. Covell Blvd., Davis

• Dec. 14: 4-7 p.m., Riverbank Elementary School, 1100 Carrie St., West Sacramento

• Dec. 16: 4-7 p.m., Winters Community Center, 201 Railroad Ave., Winters

The Sacramento County clinic is open to all Sacramento county residents, but the El Dorado County clinic is limited to high-risk people.

The Sacramento clinic is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Isleton Elementary School, 412 Union St., in Isleton. The clinic is open to all Sacramento County residents older than six months.

The El Dorado clinic, hosted by the county's Health Services Department, will be from 1 to 3:30 p.m. today at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive, Placerville.

Individuals targeted to receive the vaccine at today's El Dorado clinic include pregnant women; caregivers of infants younger than 6 months; people 6 months through 24 years old; people 25 through 64 who have medical conditions that put them at risk for flu-related complications; and health-care workers and emergency medical personnel.

The vaccine is offered free of charge and will be administered based on availability. Additional clinics will be scheduled as more vaccine is received, a county Health Department news release states.

For updated information on H1N1 flu, see the El Dorado County Web site.