Safe, convenient, and protective, Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics will roll out again in North Georgia, starting in September!
The Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics, conducted by county health departments in the North Georgia Health District, are for people ages 18 and older and will allow residents to stay safely in their vehicles while health department staff wear COVID-19 protective gear to administer flu vaccinations. Clients driving through will also be required to wear a mask.
Since 2008, public health in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties has made it possible for residents 18 and older to roll in, roll up a sleeve and arm against the flu safely, quickly and conveniently while seated in their vehicles.
LOCATIONS
Cherokee: Tuesday, October 5th, 9 A.M. – 2 P.M., Woodstock City Church: 150 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock, GA 30188. Call (770) 928-0133 or (770) 345-7371 for more details.
Whitfield: Tuesday, October 5th, 9 A.M. – 3 P.M., Dalton Convention Center: 2211 Tony Ingle Parkway, Dalton, GA 30720. Call (706) 279-9600 for more details.
Gilmer: Thursday, October 7th, 8 A.M. – 1 P.M., ETC Pavilion: Legion Road, Ellijay, GA 30540. Call (706) 635-4363 for more details.
Now, as COVID-19, along with the particularly contagious Delta variant, continues spreading in our communities, it is more important than ever to protect against the flu, reducing the dangerous risk of having both illnesses at the same time.
The four-in-one, or quadrivalent, flu vaccine offered at the clinics will be the regular flu vaccine, and the high-dose flu vaccine will be offered to people sixty-five and older.
Quadrivalent flu vaccine protects people against four different strains of flu, including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.
The high-dose flu vaccine contains four times the amount of protective antigen for immune systems that tend to weaken with age.
The flu vaccine is no-cost for anyone under one of several acceptable health insurance plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, United Healthcare, and others. For those paying out-of-pocket, the cost is still relatively low at $25 for the regular flu vaccine and $65 for the high-dose vaccine. Cash will be accepted along with other forms of payment, depending on the county.
While arming residents against the flu at the Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics, public health staff and community partners test and update their plans for standing up a temporary Point of Dispensing (POD) to rapidly administer medication during a public health crisis. Participating community partners include local law enforcement, volunteers, businesses and first responders such as the county Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Department.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctor visits, and missed days from work and school, and it can prevent flu-related hospitalizations. As people get vaccinated, they are not only protecting themselves, but they are also helping to prevent the spread of the flu to others, including older people, very young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications.
The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination. The most convenient way to get that vaccination in North Georgia is at the nearest public health Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinic.
For additional details about the Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics, contact one of the local county health departments listed.
To learn more about influenza and flu protection, log onto the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/flu/.
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