I must have been scared to death to take time off from work to stand in line at a public health immunization center. I even allowed a complete stranger to stick a needle in my arm in order to receive the free influenza shot. But the reality is that this might have saved my life, according to Dr. A. Nelson El Amin, who serves as Los Angeles County's Immunization Medical Director.
I met Dr. El Amin at a recent Influenza Vaccination Roundtable hosted by New America Media. The roundtable, held in Los Angeles at the Mercado La Paloma in South Los Angeles, kicked-off the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's annual campaign to convince Americans--and especially Latinos and African Americans--to make getting their flu shots a "life or death priority."
I arrived at the event almost 30 minutes late because I had gotten lost en route on the Southern California freeway system. Getting lost on the freeway occurs a lot in my life since my 60th birthday. That's one reason I snapped to attention when a Roundtable panelist pointed-out that "the older you get the more susceptible you are to complications associated with the flu and pneumonia, particularly if you have an underlying chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma.
I have suffered from bronchitis, an asthma-related chronic condition, all my life. So when Dr. El Amin joined the conference panel and sat at the table next to me, I took advantage of the opportunity to chat with him. According to Dr. El Amin, the county is targeting its flu clinics at high-risk groups including people 65 and older, or anyone with a chronic illness such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, a compromised immune system, or kidney disease.
Also targeted are the following groups:
* Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday.
*Pregnant women who are in their second or third trimester during the flu season.
* Individuals 50 years of age and older
* Residents of skilled nursing facilities.
Dr. Amin also pointed-out that there are some people who should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician. The list includes people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs; and anyone prone to a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
"We're targeting people in high-risk groups by the location of the clinics," Dr. El Amin said, adding that those priorities aside, everyone is urged to get a vaccine.
Indeed, Los Angeles County will set up many of its 161 flu-vaccine clinics in places such as senior centers in addition to community centers, hospitals, and American Red Cross facilities and other locations. Los Angeles County officials also work with the Los Angeles Unified School District to provide the vaccines to students. The county-run clinics will offer free or reduced-cost vaccines to those in need, and the service in provided regardless of immigration status, according to public health officials.
The shots are also available from private physicians, health maintenance organizations, and at various drug stores on specific days, and the costs vary in those instances.
"If a non-high-risk person comes in, we'll go ahead and immunize them," he said. "It's not our role to turn anyone away."
Here are some more reasons why you should listen to the doctor: Flu epidemics occur nearly every year and are responsible for an average of 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States, according toa new report by Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP) Public Policy Institute.
Here's another reason to listen to the doctor: Last year saw thousands of flu shots go unused and returned to the federal government.
Using all the vaccines assigned to Los Angeles County would increase everyone's chance of avoiding the flu this year.
Anyone seeking more information on free flu shots can call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at (800) 232-4636. The line provides information in English an Spanish. Information on various clinics and other facilities that provide flu shots is also available at the American Lung Association's Internet website, located at www.flucliniclocator.org, or at the Los Angeles County's website www.lapublichealth.org/ip/.
Ronald Ellerbe is editor of the Hub City News and columnist for LA Beez.
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