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WJACTV.com Special Section: All About Swine Flu

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Students across the Alleghenies will have the opportunity to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine.

An H1N1 vaccination clinic will be held Saturday at Clearfield Middle School for nearly 3,000 students in the Clearfield Area School District, the Christian Missionary Alliance and St. Francis School.

Heath care administrators at Clearfield Hospital said they've seen around 40 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus but only four people have been hospitalized.

"We are seeing patients in our ER with flu-like symptoms, but it hasn't been any more than the common flue so we've been able to handle it thus far," said Sue Stiner, infection prevention manager at the hospital.

Officials with the Clearfield school district said they've only had one confirmed case of the H1N1 virus, but they are seeing students with flu-like symptoms every day at school. Hospital workers said every case of the flu right now is likely H1N1, so it's important to administer vaccinations now before the common flu season starts.

"We are not working on the premise that we're almost through this. We're working on the premise that it can only get worse," said Dr. Gregory Sheffo of Clearfield Hospital.

The hospital is planning a second H1N1 vaccination clinic on Nov.12 for infants and children up to age 6 that haven't started school yet.

In the Altoona Area School District, more than 2,500 students can get the H1N1 vaccine starting Monday. The vaccine will only be administered to students who have consent from their parents. Students who are 10 years old or younger will receive a second dose of the vaccine no less than 21 days after the first dose.

Local hospitals are also working to keep their staff safe from H1N1. In Huntingdon County, J.C. Blair Memorial received 500 doses of the H1N1 vaccine that will be distributed to staff. Every staff member who receives a shot will get a gold sticker on their ID badge to let the public know they're vaccinated. Employees who don't get one will have to wear a mask while on duty.

At the same time, J.C. Blair Memorial is implementing new restrictions on visitors. No one under age 16 will be allowed to visit patients until further notice, and all visitors must wear a mask and report to the nurses' desk before going into a patient's room. Anyone who doesn't feel well won't be allowed to visit.