The Montgomery County health Dept (Dayton, OH) put on a practice mass immunization event on 11/1. They gave ALL public safety and health workers free flu shots. In the afternoon, they practiced a "in car drive thru" flu shot for elderly and disabled. They got some good practice in, I and my wife got a free flu shot. Anyone else getting the shot and, if so, how are you getting it. My observations....real keyboarders need to be entering ID info, most were hunting and pecking on the keyboards. I hope they would get more law enforcement/security presence...in a real mass immunization event, people will not be pleasant and obedient. Otherwise, it looked well run.
I try to get a shot every year. This year I got it at a Long's Drugstore for $25. Last year was at a Walgreen's, for the same price.
Walgreens on Monday for $25. Found out Tuesday that Costco has them for $18. Worth it anyway, though. Vince
our insurance plan offers a free flu shot. i suppose i should get one... schmika, i bet they didn't figure they'd need law enforcement stationed at the event since you guys were going in there anyway to get your shots
Got it at a local supermarket for $25, same as the year before. Added the Pneumonia shot for another $40, since my last one was 5 years ago. I'm over 50 and diabetic so I fall into the 'high risk' category. Currently I don't have medical insurance.
We have Kaiser as our health provider. They put on a free flu shot clinic every year for members. They open up an auditorium and staff it with nurses. The longest wait is probably 15 minutes. It went after work on Tuesday and it took less than five including getting the shot. It's a great service. My arm does still hurt and it is a bit red. Getting a flu shot seems like a no brainer as a teacher. I'm exposed to about every germ there is from the 180 students I see every day.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 2 2006, 07:28 PM) [snapback]342861[/snapback]</div> That's true, on that same note...the county wide mass immunization plan is to immunize all public safety (Law enforcement first) and their families THEN open up to the public. A sick officer or one worrying about his/her family is less effective (at least that is the theory....NOPD during Katrina was an example of the good and the bad) I always get very mild flu-like symptoms when I get the shot. Last year was the only year I didn't get one because I FOOLISHLY believed the press that there was a shortage.
Blue Cross of CA (Point of Service plan) pays for the flu inoculations in full without a deductible or a copay.
Got mine on 10-19-06 for $25.00. Now they are saying that they have run out and do not know when the next batch is coming in (11-2-06). :blink:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Nov 2 2006, 09:11 PM) [snapback]342960[/snapback]</div> As you know, Evan, the flu shot changes each year. I have heard a lot of complaints about it hurting more this year than last...must be one of the components causing a local reaction. I haven't gotten mine yet....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Renocat @ Nov 3 2006, 07:29 AM) [snapback]343118[/snapback]</div> Yea, it changes, but not at a level that I would expect it to hurt more one year or the next...basicly the substance is the same, just the strain of viral antigen is different. The protein size and other non-active components of the vaccine I presume would not change. It may just be my imagination, or the technique or the location that it was a little more uncomfortable. It was a brief ache folks, I don't wanna scare anyone off of getting the shot, more like a brief localized charlie horse than anything else.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Nov 3 2006, 09:34 AM) [snapback]343119[/snapback]</div> My husband & myself got ours at a local store this year. Yes, it did smart for a few days and other years didn't bother us at all. It cost us $25.00 each.
I've been getting flu shots for a few years. MeritCare in Fargo charged $25 but Blue Cross of ND paid the full amount. I foolishly forgot to mark the date for the first flu clinic a week ago at my clinic this year, so I'll get mine in a week, when they have the second round. Cost is $30. I neither know nor care if my insurance will pay. I'd rather get my shot at a regular clinic than at a drugstore or discount retailer. Last year I didn't qualify as "priority," so I got mine after the shortage disappeared. I didn't know there was a pneumonia shot. But I've only gotten pneumonia once, after standing in wet snow, in inadequate shoes, for too long one winter in N.D. But that was a bacterial pneumonia, not a viral pneumonia, because they gave me antibiotics and that cured me. Evan, can you give us a brief run-down on pneumonia shots? Is there really such a thing, and if so, who should get them?
Pneumovax is real, it's good for 3 years I believe. It's fairly effective in reducing the chances of getting pneumococcal pneumonia...the most common bacterial pneumonia. Mostly it's just given in high risk and elderly patients. It does nothing to prevent other types of pneumonia...bacterial, viral, etc. Even in those who do develop pneumococcal pneumonia seem to be less severe.
Just like free coffee, my employer gives its employees free flu shots. I hardly ever get sick, not even when my girlfriend does, but I still make sure to get it. After all the flu isn't exactly fun. I'm surprised that more employers don't see the big picture and similarly directly invest in employee productivity.
My flu shot hurt for the first time this year. The nurse who gave it to me said she was sore for 3 days after getting her shot. I still have a bruise on my left arm after 6 days. But I think the soreness is more likely a result of the nurse's technique, since I still have an even bigger bruise on my right arm from the Pneumovax, and she didn't warn me about soreness from that one! I've been told the Pneumovax is for 5 years, Evan.
