Private providers in Floyd County are beginning to get their first shipments of the H1N1 Influenza-A vaccine in from the state.

Some of the providers who currently have received the swine flu vaccine include the Harbin Clinic, Redmond Family Care Center and Berry and Shorter colleges.

Winslette Pharmacy reported receiving a stock of the vaccine but said they had not determined their plans to distribute it to the public.

Officials from Redmond Family Care Center said they received 100 intranasal and 100 injection-based doses of the vaccine that will be made available on a walk-in basis for a $25 injection fee. Medicaid will not cover the vaccine shot, but the center said they will file the fee for Medicare and private insurance providers.

Berry College nurse Cindy McClellan at the college’s infirmary said that 700 injection-based and 600 intranasal doses of the vaccine arrived on campus and are being distributed to students and staff free of charge.

“A campuswide e-mail was sent out to all the students and staff, and they come into the infirmary if they decide to have the immunization,” McClellan said.

Shorter College spokeswoman Dawn Tolbert said the campus received doses of H1N1 vaccine on Nov. 6 and that students and other at-risk groups have been able to receive the vaccine at the campus health clinic. She said she was unsure of how much vaccine was left in stock.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press has reported that health officials say swine flu cases appear to be declining throughout most of the U.S., but the specter of Thanksgiving gatherings makes it hard to predict what will happen next.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that reports of swine flu illnesses were widespread in 43 states last week, down from 46 the week before.

CDC officials also say reports have been increasing in a few states, including Maine and Hawaii. They say it’s hard to know whether the epidemic has peaked or not, and many people will be gathering — and spreading germs — next week at Thanksgiving.

Even with some cases waning, Northwest Georgia Public Health District spokesman Logan Boss said swine flu is still in the community at-large.

“Get in line and get vaccinated,” Boss said.

He said that while stock of the vaccine is in short supply at the Floyd County Health Department, some might still be available. For more information about how to get vaccinated at the health department and for appointments, call 706-295-6123.

To find the vaccine from private providers in the community, visit http://health.state.ga.us/h1n1flu/ for the state’s vaccine locator Web site.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.