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March 29, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Outreach Plan Seeks to Avert Flu-Shot Crisis"

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (www.sun-sentinel.com) (03/28/02) P. 1B; Singer, Stacey

In Fort Lauderdale, Fla., local health and community leaders are attempting to find a way to avoid a flu-shot crisis this year. Over the last two years, the vaccine has been in very short supply, especially during the early part of the flu season. State Sen. Ron Klein (D-Boca Raton) recently suggested that fire-rescue volunteers equipped with the flu vaccine be sent into the 100 communities in the area where elderly people are congregated and give them the immunizations.  However, health department doctors pointed out that the flu shots cost the health department about $9 each, and this money is not reimbursed by Medicare unless the vaccine is provided at a patient's primary-care facility. Moreover, if doctors think firefighters are going to provide the flu shots, many doctors will not order the vaccines.  As it is, many doctors are already refusing to order the vaccine, because reimbursements from Medicare are not covering all their costs.  In addition, if the vaccines arrive late, which they have been for the last few years, many people will not bother to get the shots, leaving the doctors with costly, unused serum.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.