On Oct. 15, the National City Fire Department kicked off their partnership with Point Loma Nazarene University to provide free flu shots every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the National City Fire Station, located at 343 E. 16th St. In an effort to make flu shots more available to kids who are in school during Tuesday hours, NCFD will host their first Saturday clinic on Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
According to NCFD, they’re the only fire department in the state offering flu vaccinations. Through the partnership with PLNU, senior nursing students administer vaccinations under the guidance of a licensed registered nurse.
“We need more people to get vaccinated because it’s obviously spreading at a much higher rate this year,” PLNU Assistant Professor Monique Sawyer said. “People don’t realize how sick you can get from the flu and that’s especially true for the elderly, young children and anyone with a chronic health condition.”
The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency monitors influenza cases from July 1 to June 30 every year. The fall and winter months are known as flu season because that’s when influenza cases are most common, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There have been 362 cases of the flu reported so far this season, and two deaths, according to an Influenza Watch report released by the county of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency on Oct. 31.
While the report states that it is too early to know how severe this flu season might be, the number of cases reported so far this flu season exceeds the number of cases reported at the same time in 2017, which was the worst flu season in the last ten years resulting in 343 deaths.
Before NCFD Capt. Scott Robinson reached out to PLNU to inquire about a partnership, he said he started looking into free flu shot clinics in National City and realized there aren’t enough to support the community, especially considering the number of people that are uninsured.
According to 2018 U.S. Census population estimates, 19.7 percent of National City residents are uninsured.
“One of the reasons we wanted to do this is if you provide flu vaccines to low-income, that provides them with a potential buffer from getting sick which would take them off of work for five to seven days,” Robinson said. “If they’re not getting insured already they’re most likely not getting paid sick leave.”
Though the focus is to provide free flu shots to the National City community, you do not have to be a National City resident to go to the fire station and get one.
Originally, NCFD anticipated supplies would allow them to host the weekly free clinic through December, but now Robinson says supplies will likely only last through November.
The vaccinations were provided by the state of California at no cost and a specialized refrigeration unit and thermometer for vaccines was purchased by the National City Public Safety Foundation.
At the clinic on Nov. 16, Robinson said there will be activities for children including face painting and games, but everyone is welcome to go to the fire station and get their flu shot.
“It just helps the city get healthier in the long run,” Robinson said.
