The Daviess County Health Department will be offering a drive-through flu clinic again this year from 2-6 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Dockery Park in Gallatin. During the drive-thru clinic, you will drive to a designated area and a nurse will give you a flu shot while you remain in your car.
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The health department is doing a drive-through in order to test its ability to do mass vaccination in a setting outside the health department. The nursing staff will be utilizing its mass vaccination guide and using volunteers from the community to assist them.
No one under 18 years of age will receive a flu shot at the drive-through.
You may pick up a form to receive the flu vaccine at the Daviess County Health Department, the Gallatin Multi-Purpose Center, or you may wait and fill out the form as you drive through the clinic. Have your Medicare or Medicaid card ready. The health department will bill Medicare or Medicaid, or else requests a $15 donation.
This year’s flu vaccine will protect you from three flu strains of influenza, including the 2009 H1N1, so only one shot is needed. Every year more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to influenza with about 36,000 deaths. The flu vaccine does not provide protection against non-flu viruses that can cause colds or other respiratory illnesses.
It can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between the cold and flu based on symptoms alone. The best way you can protect yourself against influenza is to get a flu shot every year and practice good hand washing techniques.
If you do need to cough or sneeze always use a Kleenex and throw it in the trash. If you do not have one then cover your sneeze or cough with the inside of your elbow, not your bare hands.
If you have flu-like symptoms it is recommended you stay at home at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or necessities.
In addition to the important role that health care providers play in recommending influenza vaccination for their patients, influenza vaccination of health care personnel is important to protect themselves, their patients, their family, and the community from influenza.
Even if you cannot come to one of the flu clinics please be sure to see your healthcare provider for a flu shot.
Be safe and healthy.