H1N1 flu, also known as 'swine flu'

Federal health officials report that no states have widespread H1N1 activity for the fourth week in a row.

The state received about 22,000 doses of a recalled H1N1 vaccine. The vaccine was recalled because tests showed the vaccine lost strength.

Missouri has experienced a milder flu season than many other states. Only 11 of about 10,000 reported H1N1 deaths have occurred in Missouri.

Officials say the recall is not because of safety concerns. Health Department officials say they received about 400 doses of the recalled shots and used about 300 of the doses.

The Health Department has made the H1N1 vaccine available to anyone not yet vaccinated, expanding beyond their priority groups.

Mid-Missourians may want to stop taking anti-inflammatory medicines when getting the H1N1 vaccine, according to a recent study.

With increasing vaccines supplies, the H1N1 vaccine is available to anyone who wants it after being previously limited to children, pregnant woman and other high-risk people.

Health officials have inaccurately predicted the amount of available vaccine and distributed the vaccine unevenly, critics say.

The Columbia/Boone County Health Department offered the third H1N1 flu vaccine clinic for expanded priority groups Wednesday. Employee Genalee Alexander says there are roughly 22,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine available in Boone County.

The H1N1 vaccine is now available free for healthy people ages 6 months to 24 years and people with a chronic medical condition ages 25 to 64 years.

Even those at extra risk are having trouble getting the vaccine. In fact, half of those who tried couldn't find information about where to get the vaccine, according to the Harvard School of Public Health poll.

Two Columbia elementary schools began distributing the H1N1 vaccine to students who received parental consent. Columbia Public Schools will offer the vaccine to all students in the district as it becomes available.

Next week's clinics are still on the calendar for now, but the health center will cancel clinics again if the H1N1 vaccine isn't available.

The Health Department had 700 vaccines for the clinic and administered the shot to more than 500 children by the end of the day, department spokeswoman Geni Alexander said. Depending on the continued availability of the H1N1 vaccine, the Health Department will decide whether to hold future clinics.

The city's Health Department will be holding walk-in appointments Wednesday to vaccinate children between 6 months and 4-years-old only.

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health has received fewer H1N1 vaccinations than expected but expect to receive more eventually. The state Health Department expected 800,000 vaccines but has received only 170,000 so far.

Faced with the challenges of a difficult production method and the need to create two kinds of flu vaccine, vaccines for the H1N1 flu vaccine are significantly behind. So far,  13 million doses of the promised 120 million have been disbursed.

Columbia hospitals are encouraging health care workers to get the H1N1 vaccine. Other states are turning away visitors in hopes it will help limit the spread of the virus. No changes in visitation policies are being considered at Columbia hospitals.

Under Missouri law, pregnant women and children under 3 aren't supposed to receive vaccines with the mercury-based preservative thimerosal.

Missourians can call 877-FLU-4141 to ask questions about H1N1 flu, from symptoms to the availability of the vaccine.