CHEMED Is Offering FREE Tdap Shots for Pregnant Women November 6
The Center for Health Education, Medicine and Dentistry (CHEMED), a federally qualified health care center, 1771 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, N.J., is offering free Tdap shots at CHEMED for all pregnant women whether or not they are CHEMED patients on November 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary.
The Tdap vaccine protects a baby against whooping cough, a serious disease that can be deadly for babies. Tdap is estimated to have saved over 500,000 lives alone in 2002.
The CDC recommends pregnant women get the whooping cough vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of each pregnancy, preferably during the earlier part of this time period. Although the shot is so important for babies’ health, many women are not getting it for such reasons as it is too difficult to find a place that offers the shot or problems scheduling an appointment.
When the Women’s Health staff at CHEMED realized that many OBGYNs in the area do not offer the Tdap shot in-house, they decided to make free Tdap shots available.
According to Tali Lebowitz, manager of CHEMED’s Women’s Health Department, “The process at CHEMED is easy and quick. We also use the opportunity to educate the pregnant women about the importance of vaccinating in general and following the CDC recommended immunization schedule for their babies once they are born. Each woman gets a giveaway, educational materials, and enjoys some healthy snacks. We believe in making the pregnancy process as easy and pleasant as possible.”
As a continuing public health service, Tdap vaccines will also be offered at CHEMED on December 4 and January 8. For more information about this program, vaccinations, contact Nurse Susan Grill-Levy, outreach coordinator, at 732-364-6666 Ext. 8502 or sgrill-levy@chemedhealth. org.
About CHEMED: CHEMED provides comprehensive health and medical services, such as internal medicine, pediatrics, behavioral health, and dentistry, women’s health, radiology, pharmacy, radiology, geriatrics, among other services, all in one building. Uninsured and underinsured patients will be seen on a sliding-fee scale. CHEMED
has been recognized at the highest level as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Council on Quality Assurance (NCQA). To make an appointment, call 732-364-6666.