Alliance of Delray Board Member Nancy Brin, R.N. provides an update of her dedicated involvement in arranging for flu shots now in its sixth year.
Mort Mazor
By Nancy Brin, R.N., BSN, Board Director
In March, 2002 seniors in need of flu shots not available at most medical offices were waiting in lines at supermarkets from 3 to 5 hours in hot, humid conditions. Many required medical attention due to the circumstances.
State Sen. Ron Klein’s office contacted Alliance President Bob Schulbaum to send a representative to be a member of his ‘flu shot crisis task force’ to address this unacceptable situation. I represented the Alliance at the initial meeting March 27, 2002. Also present were vaccine manufacturers and distributors as well as the director of the Center of Disease Control; the director of Epidemiology, Palm Beach County Department Of Health, COBWRA (Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations), West Boca Community Council, and Easy Living representative, Pam Hapke.
Pam Hapke and I organized an orientation program. Alliance member communities were asked to appoint a chairman from each community and select volunteers in each community to administer the flu shot program. Volunteers were instructed how to physically set up a meeting room in their community clubhouse for the clinic and what their responsibilities were. Easy Living arranged for nurses to inject the vaccine.
Each community was assigned a date for the flu shots to be administered and told to make appointments for their residents to receive flu shots in the comfortable, air conditioned environment of their own clubhouse.
This year, thirty-three Alliance communities signed up. The first shots began on October 4 and the program will be completed November 13. Approximately 4,000 people will be immunized.
Our goal is to ensure flu and pneumonia vaccine accessibility to all of our communities in future years.
Medicare recipients do not have to pay at time of immunization; only provide a photo i.d., Medicare card and supplemental insurance card. Some HMO’s and specific private insurances do not charge.
Questions? Call me, Nancy Brin, at (561) 637-9898.
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