|
For Immediate Release Tuesday, January 04, 2005
State Health Officials Lift Guidelines Allowing the
General Public to Receive Flu Shots
Contact: Lori Maldonado
Public Information Specialist
(303) 692-2028
DENVER—Douglas H. Benevento, the executive director of the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Tuesday announced that all
restrictions on the use of the flu vaccine in the state have been lifted.
Benevento said, “We believe that the majority of at-risk
individuals wanting to do so have received their shots. To make certain all
vaccine currently available in Colorado is utilized, the general public,
including all children six months of age and older, now are free to receive a
flu shot if they choose to.”
He added that it’s not too late to get a shot and be protected
this year from the flu. These shots will be provided from the limited, scattered
supply of flu vaccine available in Colorado as part of a flu season marked by a
national flu vaccine shortage, Benevento explained.
“We will continue to attempt to help all interested Coloradans
find flu shots by listing any flu clinics that are reported to us on the
department’s Web site, at www.immunizecolorado.com,” he said.
An announcement made by the department on Monday, December 13, lowered the age
range of individuals who could receive flu shots, in addition to at-risk
individuals, to those aged 50 and older.
In previous weeks, the department’s public awareness efforts focused on messages
targeting at-risk individuals to encourage them to get their flu shots if they
had not done so already.
Colorado currently has 26 reported hospitalized flu cases and a
mixture of Influenza A and B strains.
Benevento said, “As of Tuesday, Colorado has moved from local
activity to regional activity, meaning we are seeing an increase in influenza
cases on the Western Slope in addition to the Denver metropolitan area, as well
as sporadic cases statewide.”
Information about where to obtain flu shots can be obtained by
calling (303) 692-2633 in the Denver metropolitan area or 1-888-692-0269
statewide to hear a recorded list of flu clinics in various sections of the
state. The Web site is maintained by the Colorado Influenza and Pneumococcal
Coalition of which the Department of Public Health and Environment’s Flu Program
is a member.
|
Boulder County Residents: A list by town of all flu
clinics scheduled across the state is available on the Web at
www.bouldercountyflu.org. |
Individuals who can receive the flu shot now include:
Categories of at-risk individuals include:
-
All children aged 6-23 months of age.
-
Adults 65 years of age and older.
-
Persons 2-65 years of age with underlying chronic medical
conditions such as heart disease; lung diseases, including asthma; diabetes;
kidney disease; blood disease; or are immune compromised as a result of
infection or medications they are required to take.
-
Women who are pregnant during the flu season.
-
Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
-
Children 24 months to 18 years of age who are on chronic
aspirin therapy.
-
Health-care workers who come into direct contact with
patients.
-
Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children
under six months of age.
Top of Page
|
