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After weeks of limiting the H1N1 vaccine to high-risk groups, the state declared Tuesday that the vaccine can now be universally administered. The Central Peninsula H1N1 Task Force will hold a mass-dispensing clinic on Tuesday in the Kenai National Guard Armory from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

While the clinic's two sessions -- 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. -- are meant to give the vaccine to children who have not been able to receive it during one of the task force's clinics at area schools, everyone is welcome to be vaccinated, according to the task force's incident commander, Regina Theisen.

The task force has received 1,600 doses of the vaccine, including supplies of the nasal spray and the regular shot, task force spokeswoman Dori Lynn Anderson said.

Because the nasal spray is made using traces of the live virus, people with weak immune systems, asthma or lung problems are advised to get the regular shot.

The earlier session is primarily for home-schooled, preschool, Head Start and daycare children. The second session is open to ages 6 months and older.

"We are targeting children because they are most likely to share germs with each other in their everyday activities in schools," Anderson said.

The task force is made up of local agencies and was created to plan the clinics and to vaccinate students in the central area against H1N1. Theisen called Tuesday's scheduled clinic a test in community response and said the task force is still seeking volunteers to help with registration, shot administering and crowd organization.

"It's a lesson and a test for how our community is able to respond to an emergency situation," Theisen said.

The clinic will help the task force practice an instant command system, which is a nationwide emergency response system.

"The more community that we get involved in doing these clinics, the more people we will have who are familiar with operating during an emergent health concern," Theisen said.

After receiving more than 131,000 doses of the vaccine, the state announced on Nov. 30 that the vaccine would be available to all Alaskans because everyone in the five priority groups should have already had the opportunity to receive it.

The five priority groups include: pregnant women; anyone who lives with or cares for children younger than 6 months old; health care and emergency service workers; everyone age six months to 24 years old; and adults ages 25 to 64 who have chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

Reporter Andrew Waite can be reached at andrew.waite@peninsulaclarion.com.