Flu Shots Continue at VMH Community and Home Care-Allamakee Public Health
Flu Shots continue to be offered throughout the county by Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee Public Health. The walk-in schedule for flu shots at Veterans Memorial Hospital will continue all Wednesdays in October, including October 16, 23, and 30, as well as the first two Wednesdays of November, on the 6 and 13. Walk-in clinics are held from 9-11:30 am, plus appointments can be made any Wednesday afternoon by calling 563-568-5660.
Flu shot clinics have also been held all around Allamakee County this month. One ore still remains in Harpers Ferry on Wednesday, October 16, from 9-11 am at the Harpers Ferry Community Center.
The cost for a flu shot is $35, $42 for flu mist, and $75 for the senior high-dose flu shot. Medicare does cover the cost. 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 CDC 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
Beginning with the 2024-25 season, all updated flu vaccines have been proven safe and effective for people with any form of 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. Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care is located on the upper level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.
