ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a public health emergency in New York on Saturday in response to this year’s severe flu season.
Cuomo issued an executive order allowing pharmacists to provide flu shots to patients between the ages of six months and 18 years old. The order suspends state law that restricts pharmacists from administering the vaccinations to minors.
Two children in New York and 18 children nationwide have died because of the flu this season.
To date, 19,128 cases of influenza have been reported in New York this year. In comparison, there were 4,404 positive laboratory tests for the flu last year.
Since Jan. 5, the state Department of Health has received reports of 2,884 patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza, compared with 1,169 total hospitalizations in 2011.
h/t USA Today
