Flu Shot Clinic

by Mobile County Health Dept.

Published: Mon, January 05, 2009 - 9:50 am CST Last Updated: Mon, January 05, 2009 - 10:48 am CST

Mobile County Health Department schedules special flu shot clinic

In conjunction with a statewide effort, the Mobile County Health Department will offer flu shots Tuesday, Jan. 6, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its 251 N. Bayou St. location, which is located in downtown Mobile. The cost of the shots will be $8 each.

“Annual influenza immunization is recommended for most people to protect against outbreaks, which generally occur from November to March in our state,” Dr. Bernard Eichold, Health Officer, says. The flu vaccine is designed for people 6 months of age or older. Because the viruses in the vaccine are inactive, people cannot get influenza by getting a flu shot. Immunity begins two weeks after immunization. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following people should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician:  People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs,
 People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination,
 People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome within six weeks of getting an influenza vaccine,
 Children less than 6 months of age, and
 People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever.

People wondering about getting a flu shot should consider the following points:
 If you have a chronic medical condition such as a respiratory illness, diabetes, cancer, etc., you should definitely get a flu shot.
 If you were to get the flu, could you afford to miss work or school for up to two weeks when a 5-second shot might have helped you avoid the illness?
 If you have children in day care, preschool or school and they were to get the flu, could you afford to miss work or school to stay home with them for up to two weeks when a 5-second shot might have helped them avoid the illness?

Dr. Eichold advises people to take the following precautions to prevent the spread of colds and flu:
 Wash hands well and often with soap and water. Use a hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available. Keep hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth so that germs don’t have a way in. Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Promptly dispose of tissues. Reduce stress and get plenty of rest. Avoid crowded areas and close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, don’t spread germs to others. Stay home.

For more information, call the Immunization Clinic at 690-8821.

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