Senator Parker Offers Free Flu Shots to Seniors and Children

Brooklyn, NY-  Yesterday, Senator Kevin Parker and event sponsors Citi Home Helath Care Services and WellCare, provided free influenza vaccinations for seniors and children in his district as part of a broad-reaching effort to keep his constituents and Brooklyn residents healthy. More than 50 free flu shots were administered by certified nurse practitioners from Walgreen’s Pharmacy.

“Every year I encourage seniors, pregnant women and children to get the shot, not the flu,” said said Senator Parker.  “I especially want to thank Dr. Fanell Alerte, President of Citi Health, the team at WellCare and the team at Walgreens. Their dedication to our community’s health means there will now be 50 less cases of flu in my district this winter. I hope the example of those who were vaccinated yesterday will encourage their family, friends and neighbors to attend today’s (Oct. 24^th) free flu shot event at Brookdale’s Medical Clinic, and our November 1^st free flu shot event at Lenox Road Baptist Church,” the Brooklyn lawmaker continued. 

Vaccination remains a critical preventive measure against influenza and its potentially severe complications. Everyone aged 6 months and older, particularly those in higher-risk groups, such as older adults, young children, pregnant women, people of any age with underlying chronic conditions (e.g., chronic lung and cardiovascular disease or a metabolic or endocrine disorder such as diabetes), and health care workers, should be routinely immunized each year. All services at the event were free and available to the general public who arrived on a first come first served basis. 

“Events like this where we partner with Senator Parker help fulfill our mission and allow us to reach and serve seniors who otherwise may not be aware of our affordable health care services,” said Lavon Gallaway, MLTC Outreach Coordinator at WellCare. “It also gave us the opportunity to provide important health care information to attendees while they awaited their vaccination.” 

For more information on the flu vaccine, visit the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/flu/html/public/flu_facts.shtml.

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About Senator Kevin Parker

Senator Kevin S. Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of his ethnically diverse Brooklyn community that consists of 318,000 constituents in Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope.  He is the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee and Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Assistant Democratic Leader for Intergovernmental Affairs, and Chair of the Democratic Task Force on New Americans.