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Health Officer: Flu Vaccine Should Cover All of County’s Seniors

By Daniel Dullum
Spectrum staff writer

Despite state budget cuts that have affected many programs for seniors throughout Sacramento County, influenza vaccinations still will be available for seniors as the flu season approaches. [Click here for list of locations]

“The state Department of Health Services normally is able to purchase vaccine that is then given to the counties so we can have low-cost or no-cost immunization clinics for those who can’t afford it or don’t have a doctor. That amount of vaccine has gone down,” said Dr. Glennah Trochet, health officer for the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services.

“We’re not getting nearly as much as we did in other years. We have less vaccine to give out, which is very worrisome,” said Trochet, who addressed the subject at the UC Davis Center for Healthy Aging’s lecture series Sept. 16. “We usually distribute it to nursing homes because people who live there are at high risk for flu.”

The good news, according to Trochet, is that Medicare now covers the flu vaccine.

“As long as the supply lasts, people will be able to get flu shots,” Trochet said. “Though we have less vaccines than we’ve had in past years, there’s enough vaccine for everybody. What we don’t have is the supply of the no-cost vaccine. If somebody can afford it or they have their own doctor, they can go to their doctor.

“There should be enough vaccine this year, at least that’s what we’re being told, unlike the last couple of years when there were shortages,” she added, while emphasizing the importance of getting immunizations for influenza, tetanus and diptheria and pneumonia.

“Diptheria is a bacteria that pretty much lives in our throat. It can affect the heart and the nerves. The vaccine is very effective. All of us need a booster every 10 years,” Trochet said. “Diptheria is making a comeback in the rest of the world. From 1990 to 1999 there have been 150,000 cases reported and 5,000 deaths reported. A lot of these infections are just an airline ride away.”

Throughout the various Sacramento County sites, flu shots will be $10 and will be provided to seniors age 60 and older, and to those under age 60 who are chronically ill and have a note from a physician.

Pneumonia shots will be offered for $20 and tetanus shots are $23.

For further information about flu immunization for Sacramento County, call (916) 875-7053 or (916) 874-2000.