COURT HOUSE– Freeholder Gerald Thornton reminds residents that the free drive-through flu shot clinic is coming up this weekend and several other flu clinic dates have now been set. “We’re holding one free drive-through flu clinic for all residents 14 years of age and older on Sunday, October 17th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kindle Ford in Cape May Court House,” said Thornton. “We extended the hours this year to make sure we can vaccinate everyone who comes.” For your safety, consent forms are required to be brought to the drive-through clinic and are available online, at the Department of Health, and will be in local newspapers. Residents who need assistance with transportation to get to the drive-through clinic can call Fare Free Transportation at 889-3700. To minimize waiting times, you are encouraged to carpool with friends and family.
Thornton also announced dates for two additional special senior clinics for residents 65 years and older WHO HAVE MEDICARE PART B as the primary payer. These clinics will be held at the Department of Health located at 6 Moore Road (building #17) in Cape May Court House (exit 11 off of the Garden State Parkway) on Thursday, October 21st and on Tuesday, October 26 from 9:30 a.m. to Noon.
While most seniors have Medicare Part B, not everyone has it as a primary payer. If you have no other medical insurance, traditional Medicare Part B is your primary. If you have a Replacement/Advantage plan (like Medicare Aetna, Medicare Horizon, etc.), this plan is your primary, not traditional Medicare. If you have a supplemental plan (like AARP, Horizon NJ Direct, Bankers, Blue Cross/Blue Shield), traditional Medicare Part B is your primary payer.
For persons who have Medicare Part B as the primary payer, both the standard-dose and the new high-dose flu vaccine are available at no cost at the special senior clinics. “The high-dose vaccine is the first vaccine developed especially for seniors,” said Thomas. “It has the same ingredients as the standard-dose vaccine, but in a stronger formulation, which helps the body produce more antibodies to fight off the flu.”
The Department can only bill Medicare Part B if it is the primary payer. Replacement/Advantage plans cannot be directly billed under this program. Since the high-dose vaccine will only be offered at these special senior clinics (not at the drive-through clinic), people who don’t have Medicare Part B as their primary payer who want the high-dose vaccine can make a cash payment of $40. A receipt will be provided that can be submitted to the Replacement/Advantage plan for reimbursement. People with these insurance plans should contact them in advance to ask if the high-dose flu vaccine is covered. Seniors without Medicare Part B insurance can receive a free standard-dose flu shot at the drive-through clinic.
The Department of Health has also set a clinic date for children and their families on Wednesday, November 3rd from 2 to 6 p.m. Children 6 months through 18 years of age and their families can get a free flu shot at the Department of Health, located at 6 Moore Road (building #17) in Cape May Court House (exit 11 off of the Garden State Parkway). Health Officer Kevin Thomas reminds residents that all children 6 months through 5 years of age who attend a licensed daycare or preschool are required to get a flu shot each year by December 31st or they will be excluded from daycare/preschool. “Apart from the State mandate for daycare and preschool,” added Thomas, “the CDC now recommends that everyone over 6 months get an annual flu shot.”
For all flu clinics, persons with an allergy to eggs, latex, or Thimerosal or persons who have been told by a doctor that they have had Guillain-Barre syndrome need a prescription from their physician to receive a flu vaccine.
Clinic dates, locations, and times are posted at cmchealth.net and on the County’s flu hotline, 463-6581. Information on the new flu vaccine for seniors can also be found on the Department’s website.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
