‘Mission critical’ given vaccines Published Dec. 4, 2009 By Howdy Stout Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 72nd Medical Group began the first round of flu vaccinations for civilian employees this week following the arrival of additional stocks of H1N1 vaccines from the state of Oklahoma. Mission-critical civilians, such as firefighters, police and child care workers, will be vaccinated first at the Occupational Medicine Clinic in Bldg. 3334. Vaccinations began on Tuesday. For those employees who do not either work in the base medical clinic or are classified as mission critical, the Medical Group will be holding an H1N1 Vaccine clinic open to all Team Tinker employees, civilians, dependents and retirees -- including contractors -- at the Base Theater, Bldg. 5711, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 14, 17 and 21. Active duty members will still need to wait until Department of Defense vaccine stocks arrive. While active-duty personnel will have to wait a bit longer, Maj. Juan Ramirez, Public Health flight commander, encourages those in uniform to be ready when notification of vaccine arrival comes. While not an individual readiness requirement like other vaccinations, bases are expected to be 100 percent vaccinated within 30 days of receiving their full vaccine shipment. While the most recent H1N1 wave has begun to taper off, Major Ramirez says to expect another wave in the next two to three months. The need to get both the H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccine has not diminished. He also added that those TRICARE beneficiaries still seeking a seasonal flu shot can still get them at the Immunizations clinic. "It's not too late," he said.