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FLU SHOTS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL

By The Commercial Staff
Thursday, November 6, 2008 10:08 AM CST

The Jefferson County Health Department will provide free flu shots to anyone who needs one Friday.

From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at the Pine Bluff Convention Center, free flu shots will be dispensed as part of the one-day flu clinics conducted statewide by the Arkansas Health Department.

“Our desire is to use all our vaccines, so we encourage anybody and everybody to come and get their flu shots,” said Tyrone Tidwell, administrator of the county health department.

The department will have 1,500 shots on hand and will be administering them as part of a disaster preparedness program.

“Every health unit in the state is practicing their disaster preparedness plans as if we actually had to respond to an emergency and administer vaccinations for things like anthrax or the bird flu,” Tidwell said.

He added the average wait for a shot last year was about 13 minutes.

Appointments won’t be necessary for the clinic Friday. Participants are asked to bring their insurance cards, Medicaid, Medicare or AR Kids cards.

There is no charge for people unable to pay.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people older than six months of age get a flu shot each year, particularly those with greater risks of complications. That includes older people and people with certain health problems. Health care providers and caregivers of young children are also recommended to get the vaccine.

People with a severe allergy to eggs should not get the shot, nor should anyone with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome during the six weeks after receiving influenza vaccine.

For details contact the Jefferson County Health Department at 535-2142.

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