Senior Flu Immunization Program Winthrop-University Hospital, in conjunction with the Department of Senior Citizen Affairs, the Nassau County Department of Health, and Nassau University Medical Center, will be sponsoring a senior citizen flu immunization program on Monday, November 10th from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at the Community Outreach Center, 101 Mineola Blvd. in Mineola. Those interested must be residents of Nassau County and 60 years of age or older. For more information or to make an appointment, call 516-663-8301, Monday through Friday.

More than 100,000 people are hospitalized each year for influenza. With flu season quickly approaching, physicians at Winthrop-University Hospital urge individuals - young, elderly and all those in-between - to protect themselves against the influenza virus now before the season is in full swing. Flu outbreaks typically occur in late December or early January, reaching its peak in February.

Like young children, people over the age of 65 are especially prone to the flu and its complications, and should be vaccinated early for the best outcome.

This year, a new, viable alternative to the flu shot has been made available to the general public. The recently FDA approved nasal vaccine requires only a simple squirt of the vaccine into the nasal passage to elicit an effective immune response to the virus.

"The nasal vaccine is appealing to many people who don't like injections," explained Leonard Krilov, MD, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Winthrop-University Hospital. "Its effects are equivalent to the injection, but, while it may be more comfortable, it typically costs more than the shot."

The nasal vaccine has only been approved for healthy people between the ages of five and 49 years of age. Winthrop physicians are experienced with this vaccine, as the hospital was one of the sites of pediatric testing for the nasal spray.

According to Dr. Krilov, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks of contracting the virus. Misconceptions surround the flu shot and every year thousands of people fail to receive it for fear of side effects.

"Twenty million doses of the vaccine went unused last year, partly because of concerns that the vaccine causes the flu," added Dr. Krilov. "All the data shows that except for discomfort from the injection, there are no major side effects. You cannot get the flu from the inactivated vaccine."

In addition, young, healthy children between the ages of six and 24 months are now encouraged to receive the flu vaccine. It is also recommended that caretakers and family members of high-risk people, specifically small children, the elderly and people with immune disorders, should also receive the vaccine to protect those with the highest potential for catching the virus.

Dr. Krilov did, however, warn those with a severe allergy to eggs to talk to a physician before receiving the vaccination. The flu vaccine is often developed in the yolk of a chicken egg, causing the potential for an allergic reaction in those affected.

For more information on flu vaccination, contact 1-866-WINTHROP.