(a) A hospital licensed pursuant to the provisions of article five-b of this chapter shall offer to an inpatient who is sixty-five years of age or older an influenza immunization prior to discharge from October 1 of every year and continuing through March 1 of the following year.
(b) The immunizations may not be offered in cases where the immunization is contraindicated.
(c) The requirements of this section are subject to the availability for sufficient influenza immunizations.
(d) Nothing in this section may be construed to require an influenza immunization as a condition of receiving any type of service or as a condition of discharge.