Spalding County Health Department to offer free Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic on October 2

The Spalding County Health Department will offer its annual Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic on Thursday, October 2, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone over 13 years old who lives in Spalding County is eligible to receive a free flu shot during the clinic with no appointment while supplies last.

The health department is located at 1007 Memorial Drive in Griffin. To find the entrance to the drive-thru clinic using GPS, please use 898 E. Solomon St., Griffin, as the address. All vehicles will need to enter from Solomon Street to Searcy Avenue and then turn right onto Harlow Avenue. The Health Department’s entrance on Memorial Drive will be an exit only for safety.

The trivalent vaccine is the standard shot this season, protecting against two influenza A viruses and one influenza B virus.

For those unable to attend the drive-thru clinic, the health department also offers the flu shot for individuals 6 months of age and older Monday-Friday during regular business hours by appointment. The health department accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and a variety of private insurance plans. For more information on fees and payment at the health department, call (800) 847-4262. Make an appointment online at district4health.org, or call (800) 847-4262.

Spalding free one-day clinic: A community effort

 This year will mark the 16^th year the health department has offered the event.

The one-day free flu shot clinic is made possible through grant funding from the Griffin-Spalding County Hospital Authority—and from the support of more than 40 community agencies who graciously come together to make the day a success, said Nicole Harris, nurse manager at the Spalding County Health Department.

Some of those key players include the Spalding County Fire Department, City of Griffin Fire Department, Spalding County EMA, Spalding County Sheriff’s Department, City of Griffin Police Department, and Public Works. The event also is made possible through the help of students and instructors in Southern Crescent Technical College’s nursing program.

The annual drive-thru flu clinic does more than just help protect the community against the flu, Harris said.

“Spalding County’s flu clinic is unique because it also serves as a ‘test drive’ for emergency preparedness,” Harris said. “Each year during the clinic, we partner with local law enforcement, first responders, District 4’s Emergency Preparedness Team, and other volunteers to practice setting up rapid-response Points of Distribution (PODs). This ensures that in the event of a public health crisis, medication and vaccines can be distributed quickly and safely.”

Why the flu vaccine is so important

The CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older, with rare exceptions, ideally in September or October. Though a flu shot may not prevent someone from getting the flu, it greatly reduces the chances of becoming severely ill or hospitalized due to the virus.

The CDC reported 278 flu deaths in children for the 2024-25 flu season, with 90 percent of those in ages 5 to 17 who were not fully vaccinated against the flu. More children died of influenza this last flu season than at any time since the swine flu epidemic 15 years ago, according to the CDC.

Across all age groups, the CDC estimated the 2024-25 flu season had seen 46 million illnesses, 600,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths.

How to help fend off the flu

Take the following steps to reduce your chance of getting the flu:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Keep household surfaces clean.
• Stay at home if you are feeling sick
• Don’t attend work or school when ill.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
• Stay in well-ventilated air spaces.
• Don’t share glasses or eating utensils.

For more information, visit cdc.gov/flu.

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