The Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice (RAVNAH) will begin its series of high-risk H1N1 vaccination clinics from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday at College of St. Joseph in Rutland.

There is no charge for the H1N1 vaccine.

High-risk individuals include pregnant women, those who live with or care for children younger than 6 months old, health care workers, people 6 months through 24, and those 25 through 64 years of age with chronic health conditions or compromised immune systems.

"In compliance with the Vermont Department of Health priorities, we will first vaccinate those considered at higher risk for H1N1 flu and complications," says Pat Tracy, RAVNAH's occupational and community health co-manager. "The amount of vaccine we are being allocated is limited, so those attending the clinics will be screened at the door to ensure they are in the high-risk group," Tracy said.

Tracy said, "We expect that after high-risk individuals are offered the vaccine, additional H1N1 clinics will be opened up to the general public."

Additional clinics will be scheduled based on the availability of the vaccine and will be announced in the future.

For H1N1 clinic updates, area residents can call the RAVNAH Flu Hotline at 770-1574, or visit www.ravnah.org.