Hot Topic: Flu Shot Clinics

It’s time to roll up your sleeve and take an important step toward protecting yourself, your family and your community from the flu this year.

The Coastal Health District will begin offering flu vaccine to the public next week at our area health department The fee for flu vaccination is $25.

The flu clinic will be held during National Influenza Vaccination Week, which runs from November 27th to December 3rd. “Flu activity doesn’t typically peak here until February or later,” said Betty Dixon Betty Dixon, Clinical Coordinator for the Coastal Health District “so November and December are good months for vaccination.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that getting vaccinated is the single best way for people to protect not only themselves against flu, but their loved ones as well. Each year in the United States, between 5 and 20 percent of the population is infected with influenza, about 36,000 people die and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized because of influenza complications. Since influenza is unpredictable, and different types and strains of influenza circulate throughout the flu season, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that influenza vaccine be offered throughout the influenza season-- even after influenza has appeared or begun appearing in a community.

While anyone can get influenza-and the infection can be severe-many groups, including people aged 50 years or more, those will chronic illnesses (heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, diabetes), and pregnant women, are at highest risk for complications. In addition, those in close contact with these high risk persons, such as health care personnel, and healthy household contacts and caregivers of high risk persons, are also at increased risk and should get vaccinated.

For the first time, CDC is also recommending children aged 24 months to 59 months be vaccinated, since they are also considered at risk for complications of flu. Previously, the recommendation was limited to children aged 6 months to 23 months, who are nearly as likely to be hospitalized for complications due to flu as those aged 65 years and older. Children aged 24 months to 59 months are not as likely to be hospitalized as younger children, but are more likely than older, healthy children to see a physician or visit an emergency room for flu.
For more information about influenza and influenza vaccine visit www.cdc.gov/flu

Area clinic information:

Bryan County
What: Flu vaccination clinic for the general public.
When: Beginning Monday, November 27th Call for an appointment
Where: Bryan County Health Departments
430 Ledford Street in Pembroke (912) 653-4331
9665 Ford Avenue in Richmond Hill (912) 756-2611
Who: Anyone desiring flu vaccine.

Chatham County:
What: Flu and pneumonia vaccination for the general public
When: Beginning Thursday, November 30th
Where: General Clinics at 1395 Eisenhower Dr. or 1602 Drayton St.
Who: Anyone desiring flu or pneumonia vaccine

Effingham County
What: Flu vaccination clinic for the general public.
When: Thursday, November 30th , 8:00am- 3:00pm
Where: Effingham County Health Department, 802 Hwy. 119 South in Springfield
Who: Anyone desiring flu vaccine.

Glynn County
What: Flu vaccination clinic for the general public.
When: Beginning Monday, November 27th
Where: Glynn County Health Department, 2747 Fourth Street, Brunswick
Who: Anyone desiring flu vaccine.

McIntosh
What: Flu vaccination clinic for the general public.
When: November 29th --December 1st at the Heath Department in Townsend
(call 912-832-5473 for hours of operation)
November 30th from 1-5 pm at the Parrish House in Darien
Who: Anyone desiring flu vaccine.

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WWW Address: http://www.gachd.org/hot-topic/health_departments_offer_flu_s.php