November 12, 2004 State Receives Shipment of Additional Flu VaccinesHigh-Risk Citizens encouraged to call health care providers, local health units

BATON ROUGE, Nov 12, 2004 - The Department of Health and Hospitals-Office of Public Health has received a limited amount of additional doses of the flu vaccine to distribute through parish health units statewide.

Nursing home residents throughout the state were vaccinated with the first shipment of State flu vaccines. Staff at the parish health units will use the new shipment to assist private providers in vaccinating citizens who are at-risk for serious complications from the flu.

People who are classified as priority groups for the flu vaccine at public health units are:

•  all children aged 6-23 months
• adults aged 65 years and older
• people aged 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions
• all women who will be pregnant during influenza season
• children 6 months-18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy

“It is important to note that in addition to the health units receiving additional vaccine, other health care providers throughout the state and the country may also be receiving limited shipments of vaccine,” said LDH Secretary Dr. Fred Cerise. “If you are a high-risk patient and did not receive a vaccine yet, call your doctor or parish health unit now to see if you can be vaccinated.”

For more information about flu vaccine availability in your area, please contact your local LDH Office of Public Health:

Alexandria area --- (318) 487-5262
Baton Rouge area --- (225) 925-7200
Shreveport area --- (318) 676-7470
Houma/Thibodaux area --- (985) 447-0916
Monroe area --- (318) 361-7201
Lafayette area --- (337) 262-5311
Florida Parishes --- (985) 871-1300
Lake Charles area --- (337) 475-3200

New Orleans area --- See the following:  Jefferson Parish Health Unit West Bank
Glen Witherspoon, RN
1855 Ames Boulevard                                                          
Marrero, Louisiana 70072
Phone- (504)-349-8802

Jefferson Parish Health Unit East Bank
Elizabeth Perrilloux, RN 
111 N. Causeway Boulevard                                                 
Metairie, Louisiana 70001
Phone- (504)-838-5100            

St Bernard Health Unit
Charlotte Hendricks, RN
2712 Palmisano Boulevard -Bldg C                                    
Chalmette, Louisiana 70043
Phone -(504)-278-7410

Plaquemines Parish
Plaquemines Health Unit
Linda Rimil, RN 
3706 Main Street
Belle Chase, Louisiana 70037  
Phone- (504)-394-3510
 
For continued flu news updates, please visit http://www.dhhemergencynews.com.