Local residents will again be able to protect themselves against the flu without leaving their cars at an upcoming drive-thru flu shot clinic presented by the Gilmer Health Department.
The drive-thru clinic will take place Thursday, Oct. 7, from 8 a.m -1 p.m., at the ETC Pavilion on Legion Road.
Both the standard and high-dose flu shots will be available at the clinic. The high-dose vaccine is normally recommended for persons age 65 and up. Both guard against four different flu strains.
Vaccines are free of charge if covered by one of several accepted health plans. Out-of-pocket costs are $25 for the regular flu shot and $65 for the high-dose vaccine.
Last year, 140 flu shots were given at the local drive-thru clinic held for the first time at the ETC Pavilion, which, then, had also recently been used as a COVID-19 testing site. That drive-thru clinic, which preceded availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, saw a definite increase from previous years’ clinics where flu shot numbers had usually been under 100, noted Jennifer King, North Georgia Health District public information officer.
King said, this year, many remain especially eager to get a flu shot due to the valid concern that being unvaccinated means a higher risk of contracting the flu, as well as other diseases including COVID-19.
“The potential for that is even higher this year due to the current transmission in our communities of the Delta Variant of the virus, which is much more contagious,” she added.
Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s likely that, this year, flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will again spread simultaneously. Relaxed COVID-19 mitigation measures may result in an increase of flu activity during the upcoming flu season, the CDC stated.
Six drive-thru flu shot clinics are planned to be conducted by staff of health departments within the North Georgia Health District.
The only one for which final numbers were available was held in Fannin County, where 185 flu shots were given, also an increase from 2020.
Drive-thru clinics in Jasper and Chatsworth were scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 28. Remaining clinics will be held in Woodstock Tuesday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at Woodstock City Church; and Dalton Tuesday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m-3 p.m., at the Dalton Convention Center.
The CDC says it’s possible to have flu and other respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 at the same time, but neither vaccine is designed to protect against both illnesses. Flu vaccines reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization and death in addition to other important benefits, while a COVID-19 shot is the best protection against COVID-19, the CDC web page states.
Both regular and high-dose flu shots, as well as flu shots for children, are also currently available at the Gilmer County Health Department, 28 Southside Church Street, during the following hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 7:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.; Tuesday: 7:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-6 p.m.; and Friday: 7:30 a.m.-noon.
Flu shots are given on a walk-in basis, and no appointment is needed.