Eligibility List Expanded—

Health District Planning Weekend Flu Shot Clinic

By John Voket

Perhaps 2004 will be remembered as the year America ran out of flu shots. But 2005 is starting out with enough of the vaccines here in Newtown to accommodate many of those on an expanded state eligibility list.

With a surplus of more than 180 doses in storage, the Newtown Health District is working with regional VNA organizations to organize a Saturday walk-in clinic to dispense the remaining flu vaccines. Health Director Donna Culbert may also release an allocation of vaccines to Kevin’s Community Center for individual distribution to newly eligible patients next Wednesday.

“We’ve got volunteers to administer the shots, and we’re planning a final clinic at the district offices in Canaan House to finish off our surplus of vaccines January 15 between 10 am and noon,” Ms Culbert said. “We wanted to be sure we covered everyone possible, so we’re opening up next Saturday to make it more convenient for people who work and couldn’t make our weekday clinics.

“The new eligibility guidelines open up a whole new population who can now receive the shots, including caregivers,” she added. Vaccines will only be dispensed while supplies last.

On December 29, the Connecticut Department of Health instituted expanded eligibility guidelines to ensure any agencies holding a surplus have the opportunity to exhaust their supplies before the flu season progresses too far.

Inactivated influenza vaccine is recommended for persons in the following priority groups:

•All children aged 6–23 months;

•Adults aged 50 and over;

•Persons aged 2–64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions;

•All women planning to be pregnant during flu season;

•Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities;

•Children aged 2–18 years on chronic aspirin therapy;

•Health care workers with direct patient care; and

•Out-of-home caregivers, and household contacts of persons in high-risk groups (for example, persons 65 years or older; persons with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart or lung disease, or weakened immune systems because of illness or medication; and children aged 2 years or younger).

State and local health officials insist getting the shot, even at this midpoint in the flu season, could provide a positive benefit.

Across the country, there is a growing trend of people willing to tough it out for the remaining months of this flu season, perhaps thinking it is already too late for a vaccine to help prevent an infection. But public health officials have been trying to counter that sentiment since fall, when additional supplies scheduled to arrive in December were hastily assembled and shipped by at least one major national supplier.

“In recent weeks, the demand for influenza vaccine has declined, even though a limited amount of influenza vaccine continues to be available and the peak of the influenza season has not yet occurred in Connecticut,” stated DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, MD, MPH. “We hope that expanding these guidelines on who should receive the flu vaccine this year in Connecticut will help us vaccinate as many high-risk individuals as possible, prevent more cases of the flu and use all flu vaccine available.”

Ms Culbert shares the opinion of many of her counterparts across the state and nation, saying the flu season isn’t over until it’s over, and it’s not too late to get a shot.

“Given the fact that we have about 180 vaccines left, and that there are a significant number of younger eligible candidates, especially medical personnel and caregivers, we wanted to open up a convenient Saturday clinic so they could come in and get the shot,” she said Tuesday.

If the local Health District runs out of vaccines before all eligible residents are serviced, Ms Culbert said she will take the remaining names and phone numbers and attempt to obtain additional inoculations or locate another flu clinic with appropriate supplies.

“It is still important for Connecticut residents who are in the high risk groups to get a shot this year. January vaccination may still provide benefit — this year we may well see significant influenza activity into February,” Commissioner Galvin emphasized. “It is important to vaccinate patients as quickly as possible, because the vaccine takes about two weeks to become effective.”

Commissioner Galvin stressed that state residents should continue to follow preventative measures that will help slow the spread of influenza. The state DPH recommends the following preventive measures that can be taken to help reduce transmission of the flu and other respiratory diseases:

•Hand washing especially before and after meals, before and after caring for someone who is ill, and after visiting the restroom.

•Covering the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.

•Staying at home when one is ill with a cold or the flu.

•Trying not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

For more information on other influenza vaccination clinics, visit the American Lung Association’s  website www.alact.org. Click on “Click here for flu Clinic information.” DPH continues to maintain a flu Hotline (800-830-9426) for residents who have concerns about receiving a flu shot.

The Hotline is staffed Monday–Friday between the hours of 8 am to 6 pm.