Carol Cummins

Carol Cummins, Pasco County Health Department

"We've given lots of vaccines over the last few weeks," County Nursing Director Carol Cummins said.

School starts Aug. 20 for the county's public school students.

Those who still need to receive the immunizations can get them at health department locations in Dade City, Hudson, Land O' Lakes, New Port Richey and Zephyrhills.The immunizations are free for public school students 18 and younger, the health department said.

Cummins has said people shouldn't wait until the last minute to get the vaccinations, because health department offices will be busier as the first day of school draws near.
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Cummins said Hib, which can be a precursor to meningitis, can occur in children with ear infections.

This week, the health department received 6,500 doses of the adult flu vaccine and sold 5,700 doses to local physicians' offices, said agency nursing director Carol Cummins.That leaves about 800 doses that will be available at health department clinics countywide.

"Much of it is being distributed today," Cummins said Wednesday."And people have got to call their local doctors first."

If doctors' offices don't have the flu vaccine, people can schedule an appointment with the health department.

"We'll be taking names and numbers and if people are patient, we'll get back to them next week," Cummins said.

Carol Cummins, nursing director for the Pasco health department, expects to use all of her current supply by Dec. 1.

"All our vaccine is committed, and we've got a waiting list of 1,900 and growing," Cummins said.

Although new in Pasco, drive-through flu-shot clinics have been around for years in Kentucky and other markets, said Carol Cummins, nursing director for the Pasco County Health Department.

The drive-through clinics won't displace the numerous walk-in clinics at pharmacies, supermarkets and doctors' offices, where people also can get a quick flu shot.

If people don't have to get out of their cars for a flu shot, though, more people might get vaccinated, Cummins said.The drive-through clinics also will give public health workers a chance to practice mass immunizations - something they would be called to do in a pandemic.

Cummins said plenty of flu shots are available this season, which started early this year, with cases already reported in Alabama.

In Pasco County, the flu season often runs into March or April - later than in other areas of the country, Cummins said.

Carol Cummins, the executive community health nursing director at the Pasco County Health Department, said this week the number of flu cases seemed to have decreased slightly.

This time of year, though, that might not mean much.

"This week there may be fewer [cases], and next week there may be more," she said.

Unlike in past years, there is plenty of flu vaccine to go around.The vaccine is available at any Health Department location, as well as many doctors' offices and walk-in clinics.

In Florida, the flu hit schoolchildren first and spread to adults, Cummins said."Adults can get it even if they don't have contact with a child," she said.

"They may have [indirect] contact with children and not realize it.They may run across a group at church or a children's group at the mall.You never know."

Cummins said there are common-sense ways to avoid getting sick, such as washing your hands regularly.

The health department, meanwhile, continues to await its next shipment of vaccine, nursing director Carol Cummins said.

More doses could be bound for the agency by mid-December, she said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Cummins it will target Florida with 40,000 doses as soon as the manufacturer produces the vaccine.It's unclear whether Pasco will be restocked.

"We would certainly love to have 1 percent like Miami-Dade," said Carol Cummins, community health nursing director for the Pasco County Health Department."That would be wonderful."

While the problem has not gone unnoticed, Cummins said, she is unsure why so many pregnant mothers in Pasco smoke.She did say that funds to support a vigorous antismoking campaign are limited.

In Florida, the state's primary program for stopping pregnant women from smoking is called Healthy Start, which is administered through county health departments.Funding for the program, which offers an array of prenatal health services, has remained steady at $34-million since 1997, even as Florida's population has boomed.

"We continually try to do more with less," Cummins said.

Carol Cummins, nursing director of the Pasco County Health Department, said accidental death by suffocation at 10 months is unusual, "but not unheard of."Babies at that age are more mobile than newborns and can wiggle themselves into trouble.

"It is always good to be vigilant and careful," she said, adding that babies should always be kept on a firm surface free of gaps and cracks where they can get stuck.

Sudden infant death syndrome also is a possible cause of death.

"Even at 10 months, SIDS deaths can occur and they can occur even if somebody is sitting beside them," Cummins said.
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Cummins invited anyone with questions about the best way to handle a baby to contact the Healthy Start program at (727) 869-3900, ext. 296.

"I'm a grandmother several times over and I can tell you that you're never too old to learn some things about babies," she said.

About 6,500 adult doses and 5,700 doses for children are available through area physicians and the health department's five clinics, nursing director Carol Cummins said Thursday.She expects to receive 4,000 extra doses next month.Cummins said people age 65 or older, those with chronic health problems, health care professionals or children ages 6 months to 35 months should be vaccinated.Call your doctor or the health department for a flu shot appointment.