Pneumonia cases are rising in Sedgwick County. Here’s how to get a free vaccine
The Sedgwick County Health Department is providing free pneumonia vaccines for adults who have medical conditions that put them at high risk for illness. This comes as a response to a rising number of young smokers being hospitalized for pneumonia.
The health department received 300 doses of the vaccine from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and will offer the free doses until they are gone, according to Beverly Bruce, the preventative health associate director for the main clinic. She is unsure if more vaccines will be provided.
Pneumococcal pneumonia is a lung infection that hospitalizes about 150,000 people every year in the United States. Last year in Kansas, the rate of cases was six out of every 100,000 people, according to the Sedgwick County Health Department. In Sedgwick County this rate was doubled.
The case rate per 100,000 people in Sedgwick County went from nine in 2021 to 12 in 2022.
The county has especially seen a rise in hospitalizations for smokers under 65 years old. During the first three months of this year, 29 people were hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia, and 62% had a history of smoking. Fifty-nine percent of patients were younger than 65, according to a press release from Sedgwick County.
“People don’t realize that they don’t have to be old to qualify for the pneumococcal vaccines,” Bruce said. “It’s not that we don’t want the elderly people to be immunized because we definitely do, but we really are targeting those 19-64 with risk factors.”
People with alcoholism or who smoke cigarettes have a higher chance of infection. Some medical conditions, including diabetes and chronic heart, liver or lung disease, can also put people at a higher risk. Anyone 19-64 with an illness that is on the CDC’s list of qualifying conditions is eligible for the free pneumonia vaccine. Everyone 65 or older automatically qualifies.
A nurse will ask questions at the vaccine appointment to ensure patients qualify for the free vaccine. Since the state-funded vaccines are intended to provide relief to people who can’t always afford medical help, the health department will file a claim if the patient has health insurance. A patient who does not have health insurance or a qualifying condition can still receive a vaccine, but will be charged $302.84 out of pocket, according to Bruce.
Free walk-up vaccinations will be available this Sunday, May 7, from noon to 4 p.m. at Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S. Clifton Ave. The vaccine clinic will be part of the center’s free summer kickoff event, Family Fest.
Scheduled appointments will be at the Sedgwick County Health Department Main Clinic, 2716 W. Central. You can call 316-660-7300 to find out what time slots are available.
Every patient should bring their ID and a copy of their shot records. For mobile clinic appointments they should be able to find shot records in the state database if people do not have them when they arrive.
