(Eastern Region, Va.) — On September 23, 2017 health districts from the Southside, Peninsula, Eastern Shore and Three Rivers areas will provide free flu shots while exercising their emergency response plans.
Some of the locations will be walk-in clinics and others will be drive-thru. You will not have to exit your vehicle to receive the flu shot. All persons attending the drive-thru clinics are asked to wear short sleeves.
The attachment to this document lists the times and locations for each clinic.
The flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu. All persons age 6 months or older should be vaccinated against influenza each year. The vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of complications from the flu. These include:
• 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.
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.
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