By Dave Vieser
No-cost flu vaccinations programs, which usually serve over 300 residents annually in East Rockaway and Malverne, have been canceled this year due to significant delays in receiving this year's flu vaccine. Meanwhile, Lynbrook officials, who usually provide about 400 seniors with their annual flu shots in October, are moving ahead, having received assurances from the county that the vaccine will be available for their November 17th program.
"This is the first time in 15 years that we have not been able to provide the flu shots for our seniors," said Deputy Village Clerk Toni Sussman. "We are advising our seniors to contact their private physicians, or the county, to see if they qualify for other vaccination programs. We usually receive our vaccine, plus the medical staff to administer the shots, through the generosity of Franklin Medical Center, and they cannot guarantee that we will get the vaccine until December. We feel that's just too late for the health and safety of our seniors."
Malverne thus joins East Rockaway in shelving this year's vaccinations. "We have never run into this type of problem before," said East Rockaway Clerk Sandra L. Torborg, in explaining why her village has canceled the program for this year. "We feel that providing the immunizations in a timely manner is important to the health of our residents."
In Lynbrook, where over 400 residents normally participate, the date for the immunization had to be rolled back from October to Friday November 17. "We have received reassurances from the county that we will have the vaccine in hand that day for the seniors. While we would have preferred to do it in October, we could not get an ironclad assurance that we would have the vaccine in time. In addition, through the courtesy of the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce, we will have juice and cookies for the seniors,"said program director Dick Flynn, who oversees the flu shot program at Greis Park.
According to Mr. Flynn, the shots will be administered between 9:30 A.M. and 12:30 P.M. He reminded Lynbrook seniors that they must pre-register for the shots, beginning November 1, at Greis Park. For more information, they may call 599-8000.
Malverne officials said there is an outside chance that the shots could still be given later this fall, but they were hesitant to make any commitments that they could not keep. "The flu shot program really became quite a social event for our seniors. We would serve them cookies, and it became a chance for them to socialize a bit with their fellow seniors. We just feel terrible about this, but don't see where we have any choice," said Ms. Sussman.
The free flu immunization program was established years ago by the Nassau County Department of Senior Citizen Affairs, in conjunction with local municipalities. Each municipality is traditionally provided one day to inoculate those eligible for the shots, which include senior citizens and those who are considered to be at high risk by the medical community. In past years, the shots were given beginning in October, running into December, though influenza can be contracted as early as the beginning of November.
The vaccine used for the immunizations is changed each year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta to provide protection from the specific strain of flu expected, according to Cynthia Brown, spokeswoman for the Nassau County Health Department. This year's vaccine is a type "AAB" mix:
*Type A New Caledonia
*Type A Panama
*Type B Yamanashi
