LET DRUGGISTS GIVE FLU SHOTS COMMISH

NYC Weather MOSTLY CLOUDY Thursday March Last Update AM EST Recent Archives The Web Story Index Post An Ad Marketplace Autos Dating Jobs Real Estate Sports Blogs Fashion Movies Travel Real Estate TV Video Games Health IVF Tempo Weight Loss Past Editions Archives AvantGo Classroom Extra Coupons E Edition Past Editions Liberty Medals Post Store Parade Magazine Site Map Special Sections Story Index Tempo Weekend Guide News Home Columnists Local National International Weird But True NYPD Blotter Traffic Transit Lottery LET DRUGGISTS GIVE FLU SHOTS COMMISH By LUKAS I. ALPERT March The city Health Department issued an urgent call yesterday for state legislators to push through a law allowing pharmacists to give customers flu and pneumonia shots. Citing a spike in flu cases this season health officials said providing additional access for people to obtain the potentially lifesaving vaccinations would boost the number who would get them particularly senior citizens by or more. Influ! enza and pneumonia kill more than New Yorkers every year said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden. Many of these deaths are preventable. By expanding access to these vaccines we will save lives. Legislation allowing pharmacists to give the shots has had sponsors in Albany for years but has long been stalled in committee. Frieden said it was ridiculous that the legislation has not been passed considering other states have it on their books. If our legislators take action on this measure now we can look forward to less illness and death next year he said. He said the vaccination rate in both the city and state is extremely low compared to other states. New York states ranks th in the nation for flu vaccination and st for pneumonia shots. While specific data on the number of influenza cases in the city is impossible to track health officials say there have been as many as daily emergency room trips related to the illness. Also percent of the city s supply of the vaccine is ! going unused Frieden said. He pointed to a study that showed adult rates for vaccination were percent higher in states that allowed pharmacies to administer the shots particularly among those or older. Shots are routinely available at senior citizen centers and workplaces as well as doctors offices. But the proposed bill would allow pharmacists who have successfully completed a federally approved certification course to administer shots to people years or older. The course is now a routine part of any pharmacist s education officials said. lukas.alpertnypost.com NYPD DAILY BLOTTER DIALLO BOND THESE COPS WON T WALK HEP A HOTSPOT SHOTS HORROR NIGHT AT THE PLAZA A LOT OF BREAD DIOCESE LET SCHOOL BIG SLIDE MORE DATING JOBS AUTOS REAL ESTATE News Local News National News International News News Columnists Weird But True NYPD Daily Blotter Liberty Medals Traffic Transit Lottery Classroom Extra Sports Yankees Mets Giants Jets Knicks Nets Rangers Islanders Devils Sports Blogs Columnists Bettor s Guide Horse Racing Picks Post Line Gossip Page Six Cindy! Adams Liz Smith Braden Keil Michael Riedel Celebrity Photos Celebrity Sightings Page Six Magazine Delonas Cartoons Business Business Columnists Real Estate Stock Quotes Entertainment Movies Movies Blog Oscars Food Fashion Fashion Blog Music Theater Health Travel Travel Blog Horoscope Weddings Dating Weekend Guide Comics Games Post Game Report Tempo Post Opinion Editorials Oped Columnists Letters Books Ramirez Cartoons Send a Letter TV Linda Stasi Starr Report Adam Buckman Reviews TV Listings LIVE The TV Blog Classifieds Cars Dating Jobs Real Estate Marketplace Place an Ad Miscellaneous Sweeps Contests Coupons Media Kit Parade Magazine RSS Special Sections Privacy Policy Terms of Use Video User Services Contact Us FAQ Daily Newsletter Home Delivery Avant Go E Edition Archives Back Issues Reprints Story Index Last Days sign in subscribe privacy policy terms of use NEWS HEADLINES FROM OUR PARTNERS rss FAQ Contests contact us home delivery Newsletters reprints back issues priv! acy policy terms of use media kit site map Jobs Home News Sports Page Six Business Entertainment Opinion TV Classifieds Blogs NEW YORK POST is a registered trademark of NYP Holdings Inc. NYPOST.COM NYPOSTONLINE.COM and NEWYORKPOST.COM are trademarks of NYP Holdings Inc. Copyright NYP Holdings Inc. All rights reserved

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