County health center on flu vaccine: get the shot

Get the shot. That is the message from the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, which offers the flu vaccine annually.

The health center will hold five flu clinics in October, including two drive-through clinics at fire stations, center director Jane Wernsman said.

Clinics will be in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Delta.

The health department will hold clinics from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau; from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Delta Community Center in Delta; and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at the American Legion Hall in Jackson.

Drive-through clinics will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at Cape Girardeau’s fire station 2 on Mount Auburn Road and from 1 to 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Jackson fire station.

“These drive-through clinics are popular, especially with the elderly,” Wernsman said.

The vaccine is given while people sit in their cars.

“It really does make it easier for these folks,” she said.

The center at 1121 Linden St. in Cape Girardeau also will administer the flu shot to walk-ins from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting Oct. 11.

At the health center, staff will administer the vaccine to people in their cars if requested, Wernsman said, adding this makes it more convenient for individuals who may have mobility issues.

There will be no out-of-pocket cost to Medicare and Medicaid recipients.

All others will be charged $20, payable in cash or check at the time of the vaccination, Wernsman said.

Receipts will be provided so individuals may submit the expense to their health-insurance providers, she added.

Wernsman said the cost for a flu shot is a small price to pay to combat the flu.

“It is a relatively inexpensive way to prevent being really sick,” she said. “With the flu, you could be out of work for 10 days.”

She said the flu vaccine is recommended for anyone 6 months or older.

This year, the clinic will offer two types of vaccines: the traditional version and an egg-free version for those who have an allergy to eggs, Wernsman said.

The nasal-spray flu vaccine will not be offered this year because studies from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found FluMist has not protected people against certain influenza strains as well as flu shots, she said.

Wernsman said the vaccine cannot cause people to come down with the flu because it is made from killed flu virus. But she said it takes about two weeks from the date of the shot for the body to develop antibodies to fight flu viruses.

Flu kills about 24,000 Americans annually, many of them elderly, the CDC said.

The flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu by 50 to 60 percent, according to federal health officials.

Wernsman said the county health center vaccinated about 5,000 people in 2015.

“Several years ago, we did a lot more,” she said. But she said flu shots can be obtained now at numerous locations in the area.

Doctors’ offices, pharmacies, college health centers, many employers and schools offer flu shots, according to the CDC.

The flu season typically runs from October through March, but Wernsman said the health-center staff have seen some cases occur as late as April or May.

In addition to flu shots, the health center administers pneumonia immunizations, which are covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

The health center charges $75 for the immunization for those who are not Medicare or Medicaid recipients.

The pneumonia immunizations will be available at the flu clinics, Wernsman said.

She advised anyone with questions about the flu vaccine to contact the health center at (573) 335-7846.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

1121 Linden St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.