Spalding County Health Department to offer annual free Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic on Thursday, October 5
The Spalding County Health Department will offer its annual Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic on Thursday, October 5, 2023, 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 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 Road. Come around the former Senior Center. The Health Department’s entrance on Memorial Drive will be an exit only for safety.
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. To schedule an appointment online, visit district4health.org/make-an-appointment or call 800-847-4262.
An annual flu vaccine is recommended for almost everyone 6 months and older, 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.
During the 2022-23 flu season, children vaccinated against flu were 68 percent less likely to be hospitalized because of flu illness or related complications, and 42 percent less likely to visit an emergency department because of flu-related illness, according to the CDC. Overall, adults vaccinated against flu were 43 percent less likely to be hospitalized because of flu illness or related complications. Adults 65 years and older were 35 percent less likely to have a flu-related hospitalization, and adults 18-64 years were 51 percent less likely to have a flu-related hospitalization.
Protection for individuals not receiving the flu vaccine:
For people who do not receive the flu vaccine, health officials encourage them to take the following steps to reduce their chances 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.