The Warren County School District will host several H1N1 influenza vaccine clinics at district schools in the next 30 days.

There is no charge for the vaccine and all district students are welcome to attend.

According to Department Head Nurse Louise Tharp, the school district has 2,000 doses.

"We ordered in looking at what other district have been giving out," Tharp said. "It's well under 50 percent" participation rate.

Although Tharp expects 2,000 will be enough, she said she can order more.

"Students are the population that H1N1 influenza seems to be getting," she said. "It is crucial that they are getting the vaccines to help prevent getting the influenza itself."

Parents who accompany their children may also get the vaccine.

Interested faculty and staff will be vaccinated on a priority basis, with pregnant women, people who care for children under six months, people 24 years old and younger, and those with any of several conditions which make them more susceptible to the flu, considered the priority cases. Students automatically qualify as priority cases.

The first clinic will be held Thursday at Warren Area Elementary Center. The other clinics will be held Jan. 5 at Allegheny Valley Elementary School, Jan. 6 at Youngsville Elementary Middle School, and Jan. 13 at Russell Elementary School.

Registration times are based on the first letter in students' last names:

last name beginning with A-G - 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

last name beginning with H-N - 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

last name beginning with O-Z - 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Each child under 10 will require an additional shot, Tharp said. "This will be available on February 11, 2010 at Warren Area Elementary Center from 4 to 6 p.m. or by calling the PA State Department of Health at 728-3566."

The vaccines are all inactive virus in shot form, Tharp said.

The district is looking for volunteers for the clinics.

Persons willing to volunteer for one of the clinics should call Tharp at Warren Area High School, 723-3370.

"We also need volunteers that are registered nurses," said Tharp.