Canfield H1N1 clinic draws 2,500

Canfield High School students are preparing for the drama department’s depiction of the play “M.A.S.H.” and got some help getting into the medical characters.

The lobby in front of the gymnasium was transformed into a temporary hospital for H1N1 vaccinations Friday.

“This is a brand new virus, and it seems to be, from worldwide data, going after children under age 25, pregnant women and those with medical conditions,’ said Dianna Colaianni, nursing director for the Mahoning County Board of Health.

It is because of those age groups that schools have been targeted as sites to administer the vaccinations, Colaianni said.

Regina Reynolds, one of the high school nurses, said about 1,500 students were given the vaccination either through injection or nasal spray. She said the clinic was prepared to handle an additional 1,000 community members who “walked in” to get the vaccination.

Students backlogged the lobby because of a pep rally to honor the football team, which advanced to playoffs. Members of the football team were some of the first to receive the vaccination.