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Health Department Set to Give Flu Shots

Posted on: Monday, 3 October 2005, 03:01 CDT

By JANE DAUGHERTY Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

With no shortage of flu vaccine, the Palm Beach County Health Department begins immunization clinics today for people considered at high-risk for complications if they contract influenza.

The first round of shots will be offered today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Health Department's Clinic at 1150 45th St., West Palm Beach. Flu shots also will be offered at other locations on Saturdays this month beginning Oct. 8.

Those eligible for the first rounds of shots include people between the ages of 2 and 65 with chronic health problems including diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory conditions, liver disease, HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses. Children between the ages of 6 months and 23 months, pregnant woman and all people 65 and older are also eligible for the early immunizations, said Tim O'Connor, health department spokesman.

The charge will be $25 per shot, with Medicare cards also accepted. Maxim Healthcare will be administering the immunizations for the health department.

Beginning Oct. 24, Health Department clinics will be offering flu shots by appointment until Dec. 30 for all county residents.

O'Connor said this year's scenario should be markedly different from the near-panic that occurred last year when thousands of chronically ill, elderly and parents of young children in Florida endured uncertainty and long lines trying to get flu shots when a major supplier of vaccine was shut down, cutting the U.S. supply of vaccine almost in half.

"We've ordered 10,000 doses of flu vaccine for the health department, and private doctors and clinics will have plenty of vaccine this year, so when flu season officially begins Nov. 1, we should be in good shape," O'Connor said.

Palm Beach County Health Department Director Dr. Jean Malecki has been urging people for the past two months to make appointments with their private doctors for flu shots.

"There's still plenty of time to get an appointment," she said. "Influenza can be very hard on people who are older, very young or who have serious illnesses. Immunization is a good way to avoid complications and unnecessary hospitalizations."

Getting a flu shot used to be as routine as getting your teeth cleaned. Adults could even get one at the supermarket or drugstore in many parts of South Florida or at health departments in every county.

But that was before contaminated hen eggs discovered in a Liverpool, England, vaccine factory last year. When British officials closed the factory operated by Chiron, a U.S. company, 48 million doses were cut from the expected U.S. supply of 100 million flu shots.

This year there are three major suppliers of vaccine to the U.S., instead of just two, said O'Connor, "and they have a greater production capacity than we've seen in the past and more capacity to respond to demand. It looks like there is more than enough flu vaccine for the upcoming season."

The 2004-05 flu season turned out to be "mild" in Florida, said Angela Fix, the state health department specialist who compiles statewide weekly influenza maps.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses that are constantly changing, requiring new formulations of vaccine to protect people. The composition of the vaccine for the upcoming season was decided by the Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.

The 2005-06 influenza vaccine for the United States will protect against three strains. The specific viruses it targets are type A/ New Caledonia, type A/California, and type B/Shanghai. The California strain that was added makes this year's vaccine different from last year's, the FDA reports.

For more information on preventing the flu, see www.cdc.gov/flu and www.doh.state.fl.us/Flu/fluindex.html

jane_daugherty@pbpost.com

Where to get your shot

Flu shots will be available today:

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: The Health Department clinic at 1150 45th St., West Palm Beach.

COST: $25.

Who needs the shots

All county residents will be eligible to get flu shots beginning Oct. 24. Those who should get shots before that are:

* Persons aged 65 or older

* Long-term care patients

* Persons with chronic health conditions

* Children ages 6-23 months

* Pregnant women

* Health-care workers involved with direct patient care

* Out-of-home caregivers of children under 6 months

Shots also will be offered to walk-ins at clinics from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on:

* Oct. 8: 6405 Indiantown Road, Jupiter

* Oct. 8: 225 S. Congress, Delray Beach

* Oct. 15, 22, 29: 1150 45th St., West Palm Beach

* Nov. 5: 1250 Southwinds, Lantana

Health Department clinics will be offering flu shots by appointment at the following locations:

* Jupiter Health Center, 6405 Indiantown Road, Tuesdays, 1-4 p.m., beginning Oct. 24. (561) 746-6751

* West Palm Beach Health Center, 1150 45th St., Tuesdays, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m., beginning Oct. 24. (561) 514-5300

* Lantana Health Center, 1250 Southwinds Road, Wednesdays, 8 a.m.- 3 p.m., beginning Nov. 2. (561) 547-6800

* Delray Beach Health Center, 225 S. Congress Ave, Fridays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., beginning Oct. 28. (561) 274-3126

* Brumback Health Center, 38745 State Road 80, Belle Glade, Monday-Friday- 8 a.m.-4 p.m., beginning Oct. 28. (561) 996-1600

* Pahokee Community Clinic, 1200 E. Main St., Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., beginning Oct. 28. (561) 924-0184

Source: Palm Beach Post

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