ST. LOUIS 鈥 Free vaccination clinics are beginning across the 最新杏吧原创 area as health officials prepare for the respiratory virus season and work to overcome questions about vaccines and how to get them.
Dr. Shephali Wulff, an infectious disease physician, said the clinics are more important than ever this year as skepticism fueled by conflicting information about vaccinations among federal officials has increased.
鈥淭he rhetoric that鈥檚 happening nationally is creating confusion and chaos about public health in general and about trusting science and medicine,鈥 said Wulff, who is also SSM Health鈥檚 vice president of quality and safety.
On Friday the Jefferson County Health Department will host its first free drive-through flu vaccination clinic from 3 to 7 p.m. at its new headquarters, 1515 Peach Tree Plaza Ct., in Hillsboro.
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The department is using grant funding to help cover the cost for uninsured patients, and the Washington University Health Communication Research Laboratory is providing volunteers to help with traffic flow and evaluate the clinic鈥檚 efficiency.
鈥淥ur goal with this clinic is to reduce barriers and make it easier for people to protect themselves and their families this flu season,鈥 said Brianne Zwiener, the Jefferson County Health Department communications manager.
Also on Friday, the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy will partner with the 最新杏吧原创 and 最新杏吧原创 County health departments to host a free clinic that will include free flu shots along with blood pressure screenings, blood glucose testing, sexually transmitted infection testing and informational tables.
The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. on campus outside of Jones Hall, with parking in the circle drive at South Taylor and Duncan avenues.
SSM Health is providing drive-through flu shots from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Oct. 25 at 5252 South Lindbergh Blvd. in Sappington, 3878 Pershall Road in Ferguson, 1035 Bellevue Avenue in Richmond Heights and 301 Caledonia Parkway in O鈥橣allon, Mo.
鈥淎s a health system and health community in 最新杏吧原创, we鈥檙e trying to ensure that there is safe and reliable access to vaccines, and these drive-thru clinics are a good way to do that,鈥 Wulff said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need an appointment, and you don鈥檛 have to get out of your car. You can bring the whole family.鈥
Last year, about 4,000 people were vaccinated through SSM鈥檚 drive-through clinics, Wulff said patients just need to show an insurance card, and those without insurance pay $24.
The everyone 6 months of age and older receive an annual influenza vaccination, the hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths that occur during an average flu season.
But local providers and public health officials say changing national recommendations for other vaccines is causing mistrust among vaccines in general and uncertainty in how to access them.
Confusion began in August, when the federal Food and Drug Administration approved the updated COVID-19 vaccine only for those 65 and older and people younger than 65 with medical conditions that place them at high risk of COVID-19 complications.
Previously, the vaccinations had been recommended for everyone 6 months and older 鈥 just like a yearly flu vaccine. Science around safety and efficacy of the vaccines had not changed.
On Sept. 19 an advisory committee Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. handpicked to advise the CDC issued different COVID-19 vaccine guidelines. Members of that committee have been criticized for a lack of expertise and some, like Kennedy, have been publicly critical of vaccines.
The committee鈥檚 recommendations said everyone has the option of getting the dose, but they should first talk to a doctor, pharmacist or some other health care provider about the risks and benefits 鈥 called 鈥渟hared decision-making.鈥
Pharmacies have been unsure how to proceed, with some opting to not order the COVID-19 vaccine at all. After an unusual two-week lag, the CDC on Monday finally approved the advisory committee鈥檚 recommendation.
The decision comes late in solidifying guidance for providers and insurers, and unlocking the CDC鈥檚 ability to ship vaccines distributed under the Vaccines for Children program, which provides free pediatric immunizations to those who are and un- or underinsured 鈥 about 40% of all U.S. children.
At the same time, questions are swirling around other vaccines, such as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. On Monday, Acting CDC Director Jim O鈥橬eill called on makers of the vaccine to break it up into three separate shots after President Donald Trump stated it would be better, though no published scientific evidence shows any benefit in separating the combination dose.
Wulff, of SSM, says making different policies based on the same safety information raises questions among parents.
鈥淭he science has not changed, but the politics surrounding it has changed, and that has created confusion and distrust,鈥 Wulff said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing that Red states have lower vaccine rates than Blue states, which tells you that there鈥檚 certainly a political bent to how people interpret the science.鈥
Vaccination rates have dropped across the country since the COVID-19 pandemic, which intertwined politics with vaccination efforts and fueled resistance.
The have dropped over the past five years to where just about 90% of kindergarteners have received their recommended vaccinations, far below the 95% rate needed to prevent viruses from circulating.
Sara Evers, acting director of the St. Charles County Department of Public Health, said staff have received calls from residents recently seeking advice on vaccines for flu, COVID-19, RSV and pneumonia.
鈥淚t just caused a lot of confusion in the public this year, and so it all has had spillover,鈥 Evers said.
The St. Charles County department held its free flu vaccine clinic on Sept. 26. To the staff鈥檚 surprise, Evers said, they vaccinated 831 people 鈥 the most since first hosting the event in 2020.
Evers said she believes that鈥檚 because residents are looking to local public health officials to fill the void in information and access.
鈥淧eople not sure what information they should believe or where they should get their information 鈥,鈥 Evers said. 鈥淭hey do come to trust us because we are the people they interact with on a daily basis, out in the community.鈥
Taylor Swift released a new album, med students got their white coats and more. Take a glimpse at what 最新杏吧原创-area residents were up to last week. Edited by Jenna Jones.
