|
|
|
| Photo: istockphoto.com/design56 |
Where to Get a Swine Flu Vaccination
By Ana Radelat
October 2009
The federal government plans to distribute the H1N1 vaccine free to doctors, hospitals, and public health centers nationwide. Plans call for mass inoculations in schools and other public sites, but vaccinations are voluntary. CDC trials indicate that one dose of the vaccine will be sufficient for immunity. Vaccine distribution will vary from state to state and city to city, but—
 |
Medicare patients who receive the vaccine at their doctor’s office will be fully covered, and most private insurance companies will consider a vaccination at a doctor’s office a routine exam.
|
|
People who are uninsured may be able to receive free vaccines at community clinics and can also ask their local health departments about plans for free mass vaccinations in their communities.
|
|
Retailers such as Kmart, Walgreens, and CVS that distribute the seasonal flu vaccine hope to also administer the swine flu vaccine when it’s available.
|
|
Los Angeles County plans to distribute up to one million free doses through flu clinics set up in parks and other public places, many of them in historically Latino neighborhoods. Although high-risk groups will have priority, older Americans who want a free vaccination will also be able to get it, says Alonzo Plough, director of emergency preparedness in Los Angeles County: “People are not going to be turned away, but priority groups—which do not include people over 64—should be vaccinated first.”
|
|
In Arizona, the uninsured will be able to be vaccinated at community health care clinics. Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located, plans mass vaccinations of children in schools and in U.S. Agriculture Department WIC (Women, Infants, Children) clinics that serve pregnant women and children in the federal nutritional assistance program. The county will also distribute vaccine through hospitals for health care workers, at community health centers, through pharmacies, and at some providers’ offices. Arizona’s Native Americans have been hospitalized by the swine flu more than other populations, most likely because of their high rates of diabetes and other illnesses, says Bob England, M.D., director of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, but the state’s large Latino population is also likely to suffer greatly from the pandemic. Hispanics, he says, “just don’t have the same access to care that others do.” |
These links are provided for informational purposes only. AARP does not endorse, and has no control over, or responsibility for, the linked sites or the content, advertisements, materials, products, or services available on or throughout these sites.
Return to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
Become a Free Lunch Monitor!
more » |
|
|
|
Prepare to Care:
A Planning Guide for Families from AARP Foundation.
more » |
|
|
|
AARP is rallying individuals, policymakers, and business leader to make positive social change.
more » |
|
|
