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Vaccine supply continues to dwindle
From staff reports
Texas City Sun
Published 10/22/04
The flu vaccine shortage continues to impact
health care in Galveston County. The county
health district announced plans to distribute
its remaining flu vaccine to those people
at greatest risk Thursday. During the
next week, limited flu shots will be available
at a series of events to be held at local
senior citizens centers.
The University of Texas Medical Branch
at Galveston has a very limited supply
of flu vaccines to offer its patients
and employees who have direct patient
contact. Due to the national shortage,
UTMB has asked patients and employees
to follow the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention guidelines and only seek
vaccine if they fall under CDC’s
“high-risk” criteria.
Supplies of vaccines allocated to clinics
at Galveston County Health District headquarters
in La Marque and the Galveston Immunization
Clinic have been exhausted. The remaining
vaccine will be available at county senior
citizens centers during events that were
scheduled long before the national shortage
was announced.
People meeting the high risk requirements
for receiving a vaccination are advised
to call the centers of interest, and sign
up in advance to get a shot. There will
be a designated number of vaccinations
available at each location.
The centers where limited vaccinations
will be available from are:
- Today, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Wayne Johnson
Community Center in Carbide Park,
4102 FM 519, La Marque. Call
(409) 934-8148 for more information.
- Monday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Bacliff
Senior Citizens Center,
4503 11th St., Bacliff, (281)
559-2095.
- Tuesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Nessler
Center,
2010 5th Ave. N. in Texas City, (409)
643-5877.
- Friday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at
Bay Vue United Methodist Church, 1441
Highway 87 in Crystal Beach,
(409) 684-2273 or (409) 684-6678.
For any additional questions about the
locations where flu shots will be given
to high risk persons, call the Health
District’s Office of Community Health
Programs at (409) 938-2244 or (409) 938-2291.
Previously registered patients of the health
district’s 4Cs clinics may still
receive a flu shot at the Galveston Clinic
in the Island Community Center at 4700
Broadway, and the Texas City Clinic at
2000 Texas Avenue. Patients may walk in
for a nursing visit to obtain a flu shot
as long as vaccine is available. For more
information about vaccine availability
for 4Cs patients, call the NurseLine at
(409) 938-2355.
Dr. Mark Guidry of Galveston County Health
Authority emphasized that there are ways
to prevent the flu for unvaccinated persons.
“You can still protect yourself from
the flu even if you are not vaccinated
as a high risk group in this flu season,”
said Guidry. “By following these
simple recommendations, a person can greatly
reduce their risk of acquiring the flu,
or spreading it to others.”
Avoid close contact
— Avoid close contact with people
who are sick. When you are sick, keep
your distance from others to protect
them from getting sick too.
Stay home when you are sick
— If possible, stay home from
work, school, and errands when you
are sick. You will help prevent others
from catching your illness.
Cover your mouth and nose
— Cover your mouth and nose
with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
It may prevent those around you from
getting sick.
Clean your hands —
Washing your hands often will help
protect you from germs.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose,
or mouth — Germs are
often spread when a person touches
something that is contaminated with
germs and then touches his or her
eyes, nose, or mouth.
Regarding the prospect of receiving additional
vaccine, Health Officials are uncertain
at this time. They stress that the remaining
vaccine is targeted to those at greatest
risk of severe consequences of the flu,
and they recommend that individuals who
are not in the high risk group practice
the above preventive measures
“Of course, if a person develops
symptoms of the flu, then seek medical
attention as soon as possible,”
said Guidry. “Early treatment with
recommended antiviral drugs can shorten
the course and reduce the severity of
the flu.”
Under the CDC guidelines the following
priority groups are being targeted to
receive any remaining vaccine:
- All children aged 6-23 months.
- Adults 65 years and older.
- Persons aged 2-64 years with underlying
chronic conditions.
- All women who will be pregnant during
the influenza season.
- Residents of nursing homes and long-term
care facilities.
- Children aged 6 months — 18
years on chronic aspirin therapy.
- Health-care workers involved in direct
patient care.
- Out-of-home caregivers and household
contacts of children less than 6 months
old.
UTMB patients that meet this criteria are
asked to call their primary care provider
and schedule an appointment to receive
the vaccination. UTMB employees who have
direct patient contact are asked to call
UTMB Employee Health to schedule an appointment.
Flu shots will be given until the supply
has been depleted.
Individuals who meet the CDC criteria,
but are not connected with UTMB as a care
provider or patient should contact their
local, county health department for information
on where they may receive the vaccine.
read the press
release
For More Information Contact:
Kurt Koopmann
Public Information Officer
Galveston County Health District
(409) 938-2211
kkoopman@gchd.org
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