MOORE — While the Cleveland County Health Department is gearing up for another busy flu season this year, state budget concerns have prompted a change in the fees for immunization.
This year local health departments will charge a $25 fee for regular seasonal flu shots because of state budget constraints and the increased cost of vaccine.
Those with insurance and resources to pay will be assessed the fee. No one will be denied a flu shot because of inability to pay. Voluntary donations will be accepted.
No fee will be assessed for those:
· On Medicare who do not belong to an HMO
· Who are on SoonerCare (Medicaid)
· Children who are eligible for the vaccines for Children programs.
Others may be eligible for vaccines at no cost based on family income.
“Forty-three Oklahomans died from H1N1 influenza last year, so we encourage everyone in Cleveland County to protect themselves and their families this year by getting their annual flu shot,” said Shari Kinney, administrative director for the Cleveland County Health Department. “People will only have to get one type of vaccine since the H1N1 vaccine will be incorporated into the regular seasonal flu vaccine that will be given this fall.
Kinney urges the public to check with their doctor or pharmacy about the availability of flu vaccine.
She emphasized that flu can be a serious disease. Each year about 60 million Americans get seasonal influenza, resulting in about 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations. “Getting a flu shot each year is the best and most important step in protecting against flu,” she said.
Flu shots will also be available at the Cleveland County Health Department for anyone who wants to be protected from influenza.
The shot is especially recommended for:
· Children from 6 months through 19
· Pregnant women
· Those 50 years of age or older
· Those with chronic medical conditions
· Residents of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities
· Those who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from the flu, including health care workers.
“What’s important to remember is that the modest cost of getting a flu shot is far less than the cost of having the flu, feeling miserable for a week, missing work, and essentially losing a week of your normal life,” said Kinney. “And for many, the consequences of getting the flu can be even greater. When considered in that context, the flu shot is a bargain.”
