By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Members of the Cattaraugus County Board of Health got a first-hand look Wednesday at price hikes of vaccines purchased by the county health department.
Of the 46 vaccines the health department purchases, 40 had increased in cost over the past year, Public Health Director Dr. Kevin D. Watkins reported. The price of two vaccines remained unchanged, two went down and two were no longer available.
The cost the Cattaraugus County Health Department charges health insurance, Medicaid or Medicare to administer the vaccines covers the cost to the health department, Watkins said.
This year, the increases range from just under $1 to nearly $100. Most of the costs are borne by insurance. A sliding fee scale is available to individuals who are uninsured.
The cost of two influenza vaccines will jump from $72.61 to $129, the cost of one rabies vaccine will jump from $844 to $1,114, while two others will go from $351 to $452. A Covid vaccine will increase from $136 to $170.
In another matter, the board reviewed the county health department’s Strategic Plan for 2026-2030 to align with the New York State Department of Health Prevention Agenda.
The Strategic Plan is built on five priorities:
- Advance heal;th equity and reduce disparities.
- Strengthen Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention.
- Promote communicable disease prevention and immunization access.
- Strengthen organizational infrastructure, workforce and service delivery systems.
- Enhance community engagement, communication, regulatory action and public trust.
Patient Services Director Lynne Moore told the board that both influenza and covid cases had increased from January to December.
Influenza A cases jumped from 176 in December to 265 in January, while there were six cases of influenza B and 19 in January. There were 43 covid cases in December and 100 in January. Vaccines are still available for people who are unvaccinated.
Moore also reported on the health department’s lead screening program for December and January.
Eighty-nine children were tested for lead exposure in December and 83 were under the action level of 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood (ug/lll). One child had a level of 25.7, one had a reading of 14 and four were between 5 and 8. All were lower than previous tests
In January, Moore said,
In January there were 75 lead tests conducted, with the highest being 24.6 ug/dll. It was the same child with a 25.7 reading the previous month. Another child was at 15 ug/lll, one was at 11, eighth were between 9 and 5 and 64 were below 5.
Moore said there are currently 51 children in the lead program. The program determines where the child was exposed to lead and they can be removed from a residence until the lead exposure is remediated.
The total case load for lead is 51 children, Moore said.
Environmental Health Director Robert Ring said the county is getting ready to go to bid for its first lead remediation under a new federal program to train companies on lead remediation and remove lead from residences with children with high exposures.
Ring said the health department is still looking for 10-15 residences with water or septic problems. A state program pays for contractors to work on water or sewer systems of residences approved for the program. Income guidelines are in effect.
The board re-elected David Smith as president for a third term and County Legislator Kelly Andreano as vice president.
