Monday, October 8, 2007

Health Department Flu Shot Announcement‏

The Metro Health Department will open its annual Fast Lane Flu Shot Clinic October 15th at the Lentz Public Health Center, located at 311 23rd Avenue North. There is no shortage of influenza “flu” vaccine this year. The Health Department will offer the flu shot to anyone seeking the best protection against influenza.

Flu shots will be offered Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. The Fast Track Clinic will remain open until October 26th.

Flu shots will also be offered at the Health Department’s East Health Center, 1015 East Trinity Lane, and Woodbine Health Center, 224 Oriel Avenue. Flu shots at the East and Woodbine Health Centers will be included in the regular operations and appointments of the clinic. For expedited service please visit the Lentz Health Center for the flu shot.

The Health Department will offer flu shots for a $20 fee. The Health Department accepts Medicare Part B and TennCare. The price of the flu shot has increased from $10 to $20. The Health Department raised the cost of the flu shot as a result of significant cost increases for flu vaccine each year over the past 10 years. This is the first increase in the flu shot fee in more than 15 years.

Flu shots will be offered at all three Health Department locations as long as vaccine is available. The Health Department expects to have nearly 20,000 doses of flu vaccine this year.
The Health Department will offer a flu shot to anyone seeking the best protection against the flu. Health officials recommend those at high risk for complications from the flu should get a flu shot. Those include:

• Children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday,
• Pregnant women,
• People 50 years of age and older, and
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions;
• People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.

The Health Department also recommends anyone who lives with or cares for those at high risk for complications from flu get a flu shot, including:

• Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu (see above)
• Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
• Healthcare workers.

The flu vaccine contains no living influenza cells and cannot cause the flu. For more information about flu shots, please call 340-2100, or visit the Health Department’s website at healthweb.nashville.gov (no www in our Internet address)