Health department plans seasonal flu vaccination clinic

Vaccine separate from swine strain still recommended

Who should be vaccinated

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department recommends the following, based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Seasonal flu vaccine:

  • Anyone who wants to reduce their risk of getting the illness.
  • Adults 50 and older.
  • Children 6 months to 18 years old.
  • Health care workers.
  • Pregnant women.
  • People with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems.
  • Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
  • Household contacts or caregivers of children up to 6 months of age, people with chronic health conditions or people 65 and older.

Pneumococcal vaccine:

  • Adults, ages 19-64 who smoke cigarettes.
  • Adults, ages 19-64 years who have asthma.
  • Adults, 65 and older and people with chronic health conditions such as chronic liver disease, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, diabetes or other weakened immune systems.

H1N1 vaccine

  • Anyone between the ages of 6 months and 24 years.
  • People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age.
  • Pregnant women.
  • Health care and emergency services personnel.
  • People, ages 25 years old to 64, who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

While the focus of attention seems to be on swine flu, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department reminds people to — not — forget about seasonal influenza viruses and the need to get vaccinated.

The seasonal flu viruses cause about 36,000 deaths annually in the United States.

Mostly due to the widespread availablity of the vaccine, the department will have only one seasonal flu vaccination clinic in Lawrence this year, down from three last year.

“It’s due to our H1N1 preparations, the budget and the fact that there are so many providers who are now offering the vaccine. You can get it just about anywhere now,” said Lisa Horn, spokeswoman for the department.

The clinic will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, on the second floor of the Community Health Facility, 200 Maine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone who wants to reduce their risk of contracting seasonal flu be immunized.

While seasonal flu vaccine will be available anytime at the health department, Horn encourages people to get them at the community clinic if they want to save time.

“We are hoping for a big turnout because we’re going to have plenty of staff to get people in and out,” Horn said.

She said it’s not too soon to get the seasonal flu shot. CDC studies have shown that the vaccine does not wane in the later months of the flu season, which is November through March.

Also, the pneumococcal vaccine will be available at the community clinic, and there are new recommendations on who should get that shot. In addition to adults 65 and older and people with chronic conditions, the CDC encourages adults — ages 19 and older — who smoke or have asthma to get the vaccine as well.

The pneumococcal vaccine will cost $51. The seasonal flu vaccine is $22 for children 6 months to 35 months and $26 for people three years and older. Clients eligible for Medicare Part B, Medicaid, HealthWave and Blue Cross/Blue Shield will have their insurance billed, if they bring their cards.

The health department plans to have community seasonal flu clinics in Baldwin City, Eudora and Lecompton, but haven’t set dates.

The health department provided 3,206 seasonal flu vaccinations in 2008, down 23 percent from 2007 when the provided 4,185.

The H1N1 vaccine will not be available at the community clinic in Lawrence, but planning is under way for the vaccine to be distributed in October.