Flu and Covid Shots Begin

Flu and Covid Shots are beginning October 7 at Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee Public Health. Flu shots are recommended for all those who have not yet received the vaccine and will be effective throughout the rest of the flu season.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care will be offering flu and Covid shot clinics all Wednesdays in October, including October 7, 14, 21, and 28. These walk-in clinics will be held from 9-11:30 am at the main entrance of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Appointments can also be made for afternoon immunizations these same days by calling 563-568-5660. These afternoon by-appointment vaccines will be administered at the Community and Home Care office located at 12 E. Main Street in downtown Waukon.

Walk-in Flu shot clinics will also be held around Allamakee County on the following days:

Waterville – Library- Walk in Clinic from 2:00-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6.

Lansing- Immaculate Conception Church basement hall - Walk in Clinic from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 12.

New Albin- Town House- Walk in Clinic from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16.

Harpers Ferry- Community Center – Walk in Clinic from 9-11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 20.

Postville – Northeast Iowa Wellness Center – Walk in Clinic from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20.

Medicare does cover the cost of the flu vaccination. Billing for vaccinations will be completed by the Community and Home Care staff, but participants will need to bring their Medicare number or private insurance card with them. If insurance does not cover these immunizations, they can be purchased instead.

Influenza (flu), as described by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is a potentially fatal, contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Flu vaccines prevent and diminish the severity of flu-related illness, reducing the need for clinical medical care and hospitalization.

Flu vaccines are effective at saving and protecting lives and health system dollars. They reduce the potential for serious illness while also reducing strain on healthcare resources and the workforce. Vaccination is especially important in the fall and winter when respiratory diseases circulate in high volume across the country. On average, 26.8 million Americans become infected with the flu every year. These vaccines work by activating the body’s immune response, which can protect from severe respiratory illness.

The Medical Professionals now recommends that everyone age 6 months of age and older get vaccinated against the flu every year. For those who are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications, flu vaccination is especially important. These groups include:

· Adults 65 and older

· Adults with certain chronic health conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease

· Pregnant people

· Children younger than 5 years, but especially those younger than 2 years old

All flu vaccines have been proven safe and effective for people with any form of an egg allergy. Former safety measures are no longer recommended for flu vaccination of people with an egg allergy. However, all flu vaccines should continue to be given in settings where allergic reactions can be recognized and treated quickly. The flu vaccines have also

been updated to include the strains that are most likely to circulate during this year’s flu season.

For more information, please call the Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care Department at (563) 568-5660.