Plenty of flu shots available in area

Seven to nine days plopped on the couch in front of daytime television sounds pretty relaxing, right?

Add in the heating pad, tissue boxes and mass amounts of fluids and you no longer have a vacation; you've got the flu.

Welcome to October. It's the start of fall, the start of the holidays and the start of flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the flu season as October to March.

The Cape Girardeau Health Center has already announced they have plenty of flu shots available for mass immunizations, and they are holding several clinics to make getting the shot quick and painless -- as painless as a needle prick can be. After Monday, the health center will administer the shot to walk-in patients during normal business hours.

The CDC reported about 36,000 people die each year from the flu. That's roughly the population of Cape Girardeau.

The shot can cause minor aches and might cause a slight fever, but the side effects are minuscule compared to actually catching the flu.

Aside from the vaccine, there are other ways to prevent the spread of the flu virus, such as washing your hands frequently, avoiding large crowds and covering your mouth -- with something other than your hand -- when you cough.

The CDC advocates the flu shot as the best way to prevent the flu. You can get one from your family physician; a few doctors already have the shots and others are waiting to receive them. The Cape Girardeau Health Center also has plenty.

The shots will be offered at Health Center Clinics, no appointment necessary, with a $20 fee unless covered by Medicare or Medicaid:

• Wednesday: American Legion Hall in Jackson, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Thursday: Osage Community Centre in Cape, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday: Delta Community Center, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Oct. 31: Drive-Thru at Jackson Fire Station, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Nov. 2: Drive-Thru at Cape Fire Station 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

They will also be offered at Southeast Missouri Hospital clinics, no appointment necessary, with a $20 fee for HealthPoint members at either HealthPoint location, $25 for general public:

• Oct. 29: HealthPoint Fitness in Cape Girardeau, from 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
• Nov. 5: HealthPoint Fitness in Jackson, from 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
• Nov. 10: West Park Mall in the Kids Bee Fit Room, from 9 a.m. to noon.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246