Pima Health Dep’t will offer COVID vax at county clinics

Pima County will offer COVID-19 immunization shots at its clinics this fall, even for people who cannot otherwise get a prescription for the vaccine.

While the shots are not yet available, the Pima County Health Department announced Friday that it would be able to provide immunizations despite new federal restrictions that require those under 65 to have an underlying health condition and get a prescription for the shot.

The new federal restrictions, put in place under the leadership of longtime anti-vax crusader and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have created hurdles for some Tucsonans.

On Thursday, Gov. Katie Hobbs issued an executive order allowing the Arizona Department of Health Services to issue a “standing order” to allow pharmacists to offer the shot to anyone seeking to get it, but state officials had yet to act on Hobbs’ directive as of Friday afternoon.

Pima County Health Director Theresa Cullen said she had issued a similar standing order for health workers at clinics run by Pima County, but she could not issue one for other pharmacies and clinics in Pima County.

“I don’t have that authority,” Cullen said during a Friday appearance on radio host Bill Buckmaster’s public affairs show.

In her interview on the Buckmaster Show, which included questions from Sentinel Editor Dylan Smith, Cullen said about 31 percent of Pima County residents 60 and older  had received last year’s COVID shot. She said older people tended to have more health issues and were more likely to be concerned about a COVID infection.

For those younger than 60, the percentage dropped to 5 to 8 percent, according to Cullen.

“We would like to see that higher for those who are younger.” said Cullen, who added that “long COVID” can create health issues such as brain fog for months or years after the infection.

“Long COVID is real, and the way we know we prevent long COVID is by not getting COVID,” Cullen said.

Cullen said people should also consider getting their annual flu shot because even if someone gets the flu, the symptoms will likely be milder.

“Not every vaccine means that you will never get the disease,” Cullen said. “The goal is to decrease what we call the morbidity, which is the impact of that disease, if you do end up getting the flu after you’ve had the flu vaccine. The major issue is to stop hospitalizations and stop deaths. But the flu vaccine is tremendously effective. It probably prevents about 80 percent of flu cases when you get the vaccine.”

County officials said they were still awaiting delivery of the COVID
vaccine, so shots were not yet available at its clinics as of Friday.

Shots are available for insured, uninsured and under-insured people at the county clinics, but the Health Department’s supply will be
limited so county officials encouraged those with insurance to check with their local
pharmacy as they seek out a vaccine.

Pima County clinics include:

• Theresa Lee Public Health Center, 1493 W. Commerce Court. (520) 724-7900
• Northwest Clinic, 1010 W. Miracle Mile. (520) 724-2880
• East Clinic, 6920 E. Broadway, suite E. (520) 724-9650

For details on hours, services and other information, visit the Pima County Health Department’s website.