County health departments will begin holding flu vaccine clinics to get a head start on what health officials fear could be a bad flu season. Health departments are still waiting on a vaccine for H1N1 to become available — possibly in October, pending clinical trials. By getting regular flu season vaccines out of the way, resources can be devoted to administering H1N1 vaccines when the time comes.

There have been no H1N1 deaths in the region, but numerous confirmed and suspected cases. Haywood County has seen 22 confirmed cases, with 12 cases among Haywood County residents and 10 visitors. Jackson, Macon and Swain counties have seen two confirmed cases each. There have been 184 suspected cases at Western Carolina University, although testing hasn’t confirmed that the flu-like symptoms experienced by students was indeed H1N1.

In addition to clinics listed below, vaccines can be given by appointment.

Haywood County

• Sept. 16 and 17 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. $28

Jackson County

• Starting Sept. 9, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily; open till 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Health Department in Sylva. $20

• Sept. 9, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cashiers Community Building in Cashiers.

Macon County

• Friday, Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Macon County EMS Building in Nantahala. $23

• Sept. 21, 24, 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Community Facilities Building in Franklin.

• Sept. 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Otto Community Building.

• Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Health Department in Franklin.

• Sept. 29 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Highlands Civic Center in Highlands.

Swain County

• Oct. 10 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Health Department. $30