Princeton and West Windsor latest municipalities to announce scheme for high-risk residents.
By: Jill Matthews and Jennifer Potash
Following the lead of other area municipalities, the Princeton Regional Health Department and the West Windsor Health Department announced Monday that flu vaccine lotteries will be held for high-risk residents.
At the same time, Plainsboro officials announced that qualified township senior citizens will be eligible to participate in a Middlesex County flu vaccine lottery.
Registration for the Princeton Regional Health Department lottery will be held Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and may be made by phone by calling the Princeton Senior Resource Center at (609) 924-7108. The center is located at the Suzanne Patterson Senior Center, located off Monument Drive, behind Princeton Borough Hall.
The Princeton Health Department received only about 42 percent of its normal flu vaccine supply, said Health Officer David Henry.
Selected residents will be notified by mail for a flu shot clinic on Nov. 19, Mr. Henry said.
The Princeton Health Department is adhering to strict guidelines for the flu vaccine lottery, Mr. Henry said. Those receiving shots must be Princeton Borough or Princeton Township residents and prove it with a utility or tax bill.
The lottery will be limited to residents aged 65 or older or residents between the ages of 18 and 64 who suffer a chronic illness, like diabetes or heart disease or who have suppressed immune systems. Participants must have a Medicare card or a doctor’s note verifying their illness.
Also, a limited number of pneumococcal vaccines are available for borough and township residents who may call the Suzanne Patterson Center to sign up for the shot on Nov. 19.
The West Windsor lottery is being scheduled because of the limited number of vaccines available to the township health department.
"I really didn’t want to do a lottery because it’s kind of a sad state of affairs in public health when you have to do it that way," said Bob Hary, West Windsor Township health officer. But, he continued, he could not come up with any other equitable way to distribute the vaccines.
The township was originally scheduled to receive 1,300 doses for its residents and those of Washington Township, with which it has an interlocal health services agreement, but has only received 550. West Windsor will have to share the vaccines it does receive with Washington Township, a representative from the township health department said.
The West Windsor lottery is open to township residents who can demonstrate they belong to one of the following high-risk groups:
Residents 65 years old or over. A Medicare Part B card or other identification is required;
Residents between the age of 18 to 64 who suffer from a chronic illness such as heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, cancer or a weakened immune system. A claim of chronic illness must be supported with a physician’s note that clearly identify the chronic illness and recommendation for the vaccination;
Children six months to 23 months of age.
Interested, qualified residents can register for the lottery at the Senior Center on Clarksville Road from 1 to 3 p.m. on Monday and from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 9. Registrations will only be accepted in person and lottery winners will be notified by mail.
Contact the Senior Center at (609) 799-9068, or the township Health Department at (609) 799-2400 for more information.
In Plainsboro, township seniors age 65 and older will be eligible to participate in a flu vaccine lottery conducted by the Middlesex County Board of Health, which is distributing vaccines to municipalities based on their senior population.
Application forms for township seniors will be available at the Plainsboro Township Recreation Department office beginning Wednesday. The forms must be completed and received no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
The Middlesex County Health Department will contact winners. A mid-November clinic will be held at the municipal center, though specific details, including a time and date, have yet to be determined.
For more information, contact the Middlesex County Health Department at (732) 745-3100.