Many Iowans are having to pay more to get themselves inoculated against influenza this year. Some health care centers in the state are charging two to three times more for flu shots this season, compared to last year. Wendy Hamblen is adult health services coordinator at the Woodbury County Health Department in Sioux City. She says the cost of the vaccine has increased, as has the cost of the syringes used to give the shots.While that county charged ten dollars a shot last year, this year it’s 15-dollars, but Hamblen says she’s seen flu shots advertised in grocery stores in Sioux City for 25-dollars. She says there appears to be just as many people interested in getting the vaccines this year.Hamblen says the county isn’t letting just anyone get the shots yet. She says the follow the national recommendations that start with people of 65 and those at high risk.Some parts of the state are still only charging ten-dollars per shot, like Polk County, where Des Moines is located. The first “official” case of the flu this season was reported in Sioux City a few weeks ago.
