Flu vaccine available for those at risk

The San Juan County Health Department now has a portion of its original order of influenza vaccine, and will be holding clinics on all three main islands, on the following dates and times, and at the following locations:

Lopez Island, Wednesday, Nov. 10, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Lopez Senior Center;

Orcas Island, Tuesday, Nov. 16, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Orcas Senior Center;

San Juan Island, Tuesday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., San Juan Senior Center.

There will also be a clinic on Waldron Island, at a date, time and place to be announced later.

The vaccine will be available only to high risk persons.

Those qualifying for the vaccine are children ages six months to 23 months, adults 65 years of age and older, adults and children 2-64 years of age and older with chronic lung or heart disorders including heart disease and asthma, chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes), kidney diseases, blood disorders (such as sickle cell anemia) or weakened immune systems, including persons with HIV/AIDS, women who will be pregnant during the influenza season, residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities, children and teenagers six months to 18 years of age who take aspirin daily, health care workers who provide direct hands-on care to patients, and household members and out-of-home care givers of infants under the age of six months.

Cost for a flu shot will be $18, Medicare Part B coverage, or Medicaid Card. Pneumonia and tetanus-diphtheria vaccines will also be available.

Individuals not included in one of the priority groups described above are asked to forego or defer vaccination until the vaccine supply situation improves. The county health department says it doesn’t know if more flu vaccine will become available this season. Local physicians with private practices are out of vaccine, and are referring their patients to the Health Department.

Contact the Health Department, 378-4474, for further options.

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