September 29, 2008

The Oswego County Health Department will hold its first flu clinics Friday, Oct. 3. Flu shots will be given, by appointment only, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the H. Douglas Barclay Courthouse, Pulaski; and from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Nick Sterio Public Health Clinic, 70 Bunner St., Oswego.

Residents may schedule a flu shot appointment on the Internet at https://www.onflu.net/oswego/, or by calling the Oswego County Health Department at 349-3547 or 1-800-596-3200, ext. 3547 between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Both flu and pneumonia vaccine will be available at the clinics. People who are covered by Medicaid or Medicare Part B must bring their cards to the clinic. There is a $35 charge for a flu shot and a $55 charge for a pneumonia shot. A sliding fee schedule is available. No one will be turned away due to inability to pay.

Managed Medicare patients are encouraged to go to their private physician for a flu shot to avoid out-of-pocket expenses.

Dr. Dennis Norfleet, Interim Public Health Director for Oswego County, said that anyone who wants to reduce their risk of flu can receive a flu shot. People in high risk groups are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated in October or November, so they will be protected before the flu season peaks.

Flu vaccine is expected to be available for children ages six months to 18 years at the Health Department’s immunization clinics beginning in November. The vaccine will be made available by the New York State Health Department’s Vaccine for Children program. Parents should confirm availability in early November, or contact their own health care provider for the children’s flu vaccine.

The flu shot is recommended for people at high risk for health complications from the flu, including:

• Children six months to 19th birthday
  
  
• Pregnant women
  
  
• People age 50 and older
  
  
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
  
  
• People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities
  
  
• All siblings, household contacts and caregivers of children ages six months to five years
  
  
• Household contacts and caregivers of children less than six months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
  
  
• Health care workers and people who provide essential community services
  
  
• Students or other persons living in dormitories or institutional settings
  
  
• People who are traveling to an area where there is influenza activity; and
  
  
• Anyone who wants to decrease their risk of influenza.

To help prevent the spread of flu, the county Health Department advises people to:

• Wash your hands often;
  
  
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissues when you sneeze and cough;
  
  
• Stay away from crowds when you are sick and when there is flu in the community; and
  
  
• Keep sick children home from school.
  
  
• Adults should not go to work when they are sick, and people should not visit hospitals and nursing homes if they have flu and cold symptoms.

For information, call the Oswego County Health Department at 349-3547 or 1-800-596-3200, ext. 3547 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To access the Web site visit https://www.onflu.net/oswego/.