LISBON - The Columbiana County Health Department will offer seasonal flu shots at five locations next week, but adult recipients will have to pay this year.

The shots were offered free in previous years and at times were limited to targeted populations, such as the elderly or adults with chronic conditions, but this year the health department had to pay for the vaccine, so the cost is being passed on to the patients.

The cost for any adult age 19 and older is $25 through Medicare, Medicaid, check or cash.

Clinics for adults will be held at the following times and locations:

n 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, Columbiana administration building board room, 28 W. Friend St., Columbiana

n 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Salineville Kiwanis building, 100 North St., Salineville

n 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wellsville City Hall, 12th and Main Street, Wellsville

n 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Hanoverton Township Hall, 29308 U.S. Route 30, Hanoverton

n 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 30, Columbiana County Health Department, 7360 state Route 45, Lisbon.

A separate clinic will be held specifically for children six months to 18 years old from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 31 at the county health department, with no charge for the vaccine. Columbiana County Health Commissioner Wesley Vins explained the vaccines for children are offered free through the immunization program from the state of Ohio.

In years past, they used to received vaccine for adults for free or for some nominal fee from the state of Ohio. Since the county had to buy the vaccine, he said "we're going to have to recover our costs for those vaccines."

Some of the vaccine was purchased from the state of Ohio and some from private suppliers.

He acknowledged that most of the county may have already received seasonal flu shots from other sources offering them earlier. The county health department decided to take the vaccine out into areas where there may have been barriers from lack of transportation or lack of a pharmacy, such as Hanoverton and Salineville.

"I think it's important to make the vaccine available to the community," Vins said.

The last time the county health department hit the road with vaccines was 1999.

Vins also said they're hoping to be able to do similar clinics when the health department receives future shipments of H1N1, or swine flu, vaccine.

"We want to get into every local community to make it available," he said, stressing that receiving the vaccine will be voluntary. Right now, receipt of the H1N1 vaccine is limited to pregnant women with previous approval from their physician and health care workers who have direct contact with patients. EMTs received the vaccine last week.

For information about the flu, check the Ohio Department of Health Web site at www.odh.ohio.gov. The Web site includes a link to the Centers for Disease Control.