Wal-Mart helps Hudson's H1N1 clinic efforts

By Jeff Malachowski/Daily News staff

The MetroWest Daily News

Posted Oct 20, 2009 @ 12:01 AM

HUDSON —

Selectmen accepted a $3,500 donation from Wal-Mart last night to assist with the town's planning and response efforts for the upcoming H1N1 flu clinics.

The town has tentatively scheduled eight bi-weekly H1N1 flu clinics likely beginning in November. Wal-Mart's gift will be used for supplies for the clinics.

The first H1N1 flu shot clinics will be aimed at residents who fall in the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) first target group, which includes children from 6 months to 4 years old, children ages 5 to 18 with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, residents who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months old, and health care and emergency medical personnel who have direct contact with patients.

Health Agent Dr. Sam Wong said children are the highest priority, as nearly 90 percent of people infected with H1N1, also known as swine flu, have been young children.

The next clinic will be used to inoculate children and adults between the ages of 5 and 24, other health care and emergency medical personnel, and residents ages 25 to 64 with chronic health illnesses.

Residents between the ages of 25 and 64 without chronic health conditions and all other residents will be treated in following clinics.

Wong said the state hopes to treat every resident by the end of February.

Selectmen said the Hudson Medical and Volunteer Reserve Corps still needs medically trained and non-medically trained volunteers to help during the clinic days.

"They're always looking for volunteers," selectmen Chairman Joseph Durand said.

In other business, Jim McKenna, an organizer of the Hudson-Marlborough School Spirit 5K Walk and Run, talked about the upcoming event.

McKenna said the walk-run was organized to celebrate the athletic rivalry between Marlborough and Hudson, which he said is the fourth-oldest high school rivalry in the state. The schools have competed for more than 100 years.

All residents are invited to participate and the town with the most runners and walkers who take part will receive the school spirit trophy, McKenna said.

Proceeds will go to the Elks scholarship fund. The walk-run takes place Nov. 28 at 10 a.m. at the Hudson Elks Club.

McKenna said the event is not only a chance to raise money for a worthy cause, but is also an opportunity to defeat Hudson's biggest rival.

"This is an opportunity to beat Marlborough. We hope to bring the trophy to Hudson."