’Tis the season
Area bracing for annual flu outbreak

Maxim Health Care tech Tracy Ferguson, right, checks Mary Lou Nelson's health insurance at a flu shot booth at Safeway Saturday, October 4. — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Cable Hoover

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — For the second straight year, there is enough flu vaccine for everyone in the state, according to health department officials.

Early vaccines however, will again be restricted for the elderly and those who are considered at risk.

Flu shot clinics for Gallup and Grants have been announced.
The flu clinics in Gallup and surrounding areas are at senior centers, and the clinic for the general public has not yet been set.

The New Mexico Department of Health has shipped 70,000 doses of adult flu vaccine to public health offices around the state and has ordered 206,000 doses of children’s flu vaccine, which includes 100,00 doses of FluMist, for those who are allergic to eggs.

You cannot catch the flu from a flu shot

The flu vaccine is partially made with eggs and dead viruses, not live viruses, and no one can catch the flu from a flu shot, Deborah Busemeyer, a spokeswoman for the health department, said.

There may be a localized redness and small puffiness from the shot, a slight rise in temperature, but that is considered a normal reaction to the shot, and is not the flu, health experts have said.

Public Health Departments offer free flu shots to those people who do not have a personal or family doctor, Lou Mazon, RN, of the Cibola County Public Health Office in Grants, said.

New Mexicans who have family doctors should contact them for a flu shot, which helps preserve the public health flu shots for those who do not have doctors, Busemeyer said.
Patients who use the public health system for flu shots are required to bring parents’ signatures if a minor, immunization records and their Medicare or insurance cards, Mazon said.
Flu shots will initially be given to seniors age 65 and older at the senior centers, and those persons who are high risk should get a flu shot, but should go through their own doctor.

Clinics schedules

The schedule of flu shots at senior centers in McKinley County are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the following locations and dates:

• Ford Canyon Senior Center, Nov. 5, 9 a.m. to noon.
• Northside Senior Center, Nov. 6, 9 a.m. to noon
• Ramah Senior center, Nov. 12, 9 a.m. to noon
• Thoreau Senior Center, Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to noon

A general public flu clinic will be scheduled after all the senior centers have been visited.

In Grants, flu clinics for the general public are:

• Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. To 4 p.m.
• Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. To 4 p.m.

To schedule an appointment in Grants, call (505) 285-4601.

Flu shots are fully effective after two weeks, but start protecting the individual during the first 24 hours following the shot.

Seniors who are age 65 and older are encouraged to go to the senior centers in your area on the dates and times above, to get your flu shot for this year.

Many people who are high risk, should also get a pneumonia shot as well.

Pneumonia shots provide protection for about five years and flu shots are good for about six months, according to health officials.

Public Health departments are backups to the flu shot system by private doctors. Anyone with a local physician should see their health provider about getting their flu shots through that provider first.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.