The Central Shenandoah Health District will offer free seasonal flu vaccine at a special drive-thru dispensing clinic on Saturday, October 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington.
Six hundred doses of vaccine will be available, and vaccines will be offered to anyone 3 years of age and older on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to wear clothing that is loose around the arm so that a medical provider can administer the flu shot in the upper arm, without you having to leave the comfort and convenience of your car. Anyone under the age of 18 needs to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
“Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza and its potentially severe complications, and this unique ‘drive-thru’ approach is proven to be a fast and efficient way to vaccinate a large number of people in a short time. The clinic allows the health department to test our capabilities to efficiently provide vaccines in the event of a public health emergency, and the vaccines are free to the public: a win-win situation,” said Dr. Laura Kornegay, Health Director for the Central Shenandoah Health District. This event also allows the local health department to work with several important community partners, including Carilion Clinic, Rockbridge Area Emergency Management, Lexington Fire Department and Lexington and Buena Vista Police Departments.
The timing, duration and severity of flu seasons vary. Flu season can occur from early fall to late spring, so you should get the vaccine as soon as it’s available. It takes up to two weeks to develop the vaccine’s full protection, and the benefits last for as long as a year.
The CDC and Virginia Department of Health recommend that all persons age 6 months or older be vaccinated against influenza each year. Particular effort should be made to vaccinate people at higher risk for influenza complications, including:
- Pregnant and postpartum women, or those who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
- Persons over 65 years of age, including residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities;
- People who have chronic lung or heart problems, including asthma; and
- People who have other serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, anemia, cancer, weak immune systems (including those with HIV) or a seizure disorder.
To help prevent the spread of influenza to people in high risk groups, those who live with people in a high risk group and healthcare workers should also receive an annual influenza vaccine. Travelers to countries outside of the U.S. may also need to consider influenza vaccination, even at different times of the year.
Influenza, commonly called “the flu,” is a serious disease caused by the influenza virus that affects the respiratory tract. It is highly contagious and generally spreads from person-to-person when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can be transmitted even before flu-like symptoms appear. A person usually becomes sick one to three days following exposure to the virus. Typical flu symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches and extreme fatigue.
Each year in the U.S. approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu illness, and flu-related deaths range from 3,000 to 49,000 each year, averaging 24,000 per year over the last three decades. Complications of the flu account for the highest number of deaths of any vaccine preventable disease.
To minimize your risk of contracting or transmitting the flu, follow these simple steps:
- Get vaccinated;
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, for at least 20 seconds;
- Cover your cough, either by using a disposable tissue or coughing into your sleeve, not your hand; and
- Stay at home when you are sick.
For more information, call the Central Shenandoah Health District at 540-332-7830 or the Lexington Health Department at 540-463-3185 or visit www.vdh.virginia.gov.
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