November 2, 2001

Broome County Public Health Department And Office For Aging Flu Clinic Schedule For 2001-2002 Flu Season

BINGHAMTON, NY - The Broome County Health Department now has flu vaccine and will be offering a clinic on Thursday, November 8, 2001 from 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Broome County Health Department building at 225 Front Street, Binghamton. There is plenty of free parking at the Health Department building, which is at the corner of Front and Clinton Streets. Broome County Transit buses #7 and #8 stop at the Health Department. The Broome County Office for Aging will also offer a flu vaccine clinic on Thursday, November 8, 2001 from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., at the Deposit Senior Center, 130 Second Street, Deposit, New York.

The Broome County Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Surgeon General's Office are encouraging healthy people to wait until later in the flu season for the flu vaccine. This is to insure that those at highest risk of influenza complications get vaccinated first. Health Department Clinics open to the public will be announced at a later date. The Health Department and the Office for Aging urge those people who have insurance which pays for flu vaccine or who have a regular medical provider, to get their flu vaccine at their doctor's office.

All Broome County Health Department sponsored flu clinics, including the Office for Aging (OFA) Senior Center Clinics, follow the current CDC guidelines for flu vaccine administration. The following individuals are considered at high risk for developing complications of influenza and are eligible to receive a flu vaccine at these clinics:

  1. Persons aged 50 years or older.
  2. Residents and staff of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities that care for people of any age who have chronic medical conditions.
  3. Adults who have chronic cardiovascular pulmonary disorders (lung conditions), including asthma.
  4. Adults with chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus); renal dysfunction; liver diseases; blood dysarasias, like anemia; or who are immunocompromised because of a disease they were born with; infection with HIV-the virus that causes AIDS; treatment with long-term steroids; or cancer treatment with x-ray or chemotherapy.
  5. Women who will be in their second and third trimester of pregnancy during flu season (over 14 weeks of pregnancy).
  6. Physicians, nurses and other personnel in both hospitals and outpatient-care settings, including emergency response workers.
  7. Household members who come in close contact with people at risk of serious influenza complications.
  8. Students and other persons in institutional settings (e.g. college students in dormitories).

The Broome County Health Department can no longer provide influenza vaccine to persons under the age of 18. Parents are advised to seek flu shots for all high-risk children at their regular medical provider.

Medicare-Part B will pay for the flu vaccine. Individuals must present their Medicare Card. All other persons will be charged an $11.00 fee.

Residents are urged to call the Health Department Influenza Information line at 607.778.3911, Option 1 to hear a recording of current clinic schedules or go to the Broome County Government website at www.gobroomecounty.com. Residents with questions concerning eligibility to receive a flu vaccine should call the Broome County Health Department at 607.778.2839 or the Office for Aging at 607.778.2411.

Attached Clinic Schedule

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