Newton County’s Health Center, located at 8203 Hazelbrand Road, will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to offer the nasal spray H1N1 vaccine. No appointment is necessary and the vaccine is free of charge.

“We understand that people are busy during the week and often find it difficult to come to one of our clinics during regular business hours, said Suleima Salgado, public information officer for the East Metro Health District. “ We hope our Saturday clinics will meet the needs of the community and make the vaccine available to those who are interested.”

The primary focus of the nasal vaccine is healthy children between the ages of two and four, but any healthy person between the ages of two to 49, excluding pregnant women, can receive the vaccine.

Persons who have been immunized with a live virus in the past 30 days can not receive the nasal spray.

“Based on the availability of vaccine and the demand from the community, we will determine how frequently we will host Saturday clinics in the future,” stated Salgado.

The H1N1 vaccine is also available at the health center Mondays through Fridays at no charge, but clients should bring their Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance cards. Call the local center at (770) 786-9086 for more details.