Legislators approved the Bill so give pharmacists meningitis vaccination

The Bill, which lawmakers approved Thursday, would add to the meningitis vaccination a short list of vaccinations that pharmacists in the State to administer. Others are vaccines for the flu, pneumonia and acute herpes zoster.

A new strain of bacterial meningitis has gay and bisexual men in the last few years been infected. Mortality - one of three people, compared to one of the five who with to succumb to other varieties - has alarmed health authorities and led to a higher-than-usual demand for vaccinations.

The city health Commissioner, Dr. Thomas A. Farley, belonged to those pushing for the legislation.

State Senator Brad Hoylman, Democrat who represents Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and Clinton, who to have residents in greater numbers, gay said that he had introduced the Bill after hearing the gay, could not easily get the vaccine.

"Doctors routinely the meningitis vaccine, has not" Hoylman Friday Mr. said.

Demetrios Papanakios, a staff pharmacist in New London pharmacy in Chelsea, said about three or four gay men a day came with provisions for vaccination and take it back be administered to their doctors.

"Before we got one every 10 months," Mr. Papanakios said.

Without insurance, the cost of the vaccine, $165, can be prohibitive, Mr Papanakios said. After getting vaccinations reported insurance, the State Superintendent of financial services, Benjamin M. Lawsky, sent some men difficulties to tell that to New York 'insurance such vaccinations must cover law."a letter in April health care providers

Mr Hoylman, who is gay, said that he wanted to reach men, not their doctors say no regular medical service provider or if you wanted to, that they were gay. Black men in Brooklyn, the frequent gay clubs, parties and online meeting sites but no openly gay, have been affected the most by the outbreak after the Senate Administration for health.

22 Were cases of bacterial meningitis among gay men in New York City known seven of them since 2010, deadly, and seemed to increase the rate of infection information the Department in last fall and early this year.

There were no new confirmed cases since February. But city health authorities are worried that there could be a further outbreak during the annual celebration of gay pride in New York City in three days from Friday, which are more than 1 million people are expected.

Still be 90 days later, too late for Gay Pride this year if signed by the Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the law effectively. Starting in June, an estimated 13.574 people had as a result the current outbreak after the Health Ministry have been vaccinated.

The bacteria can be disseminated a glass in the nose and the mouth and through close contact such as kissing and sharing. People have mistaken for the symptoms of the flu and died without medical care.

This article was revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: June 23, 2013

An earlier version of this article said wrong at the age at which people can get the meningitis vaccine in the pharmacy. It is 18, not 11 or 12.

View the original article here