Promise Community Health Center will offer two Flu Vaccine Clinics this fall.
They will be held at Promise – located at 338 1st Ave. NW, Sioux Center, across from the Sioux Center city hall – on the following dates:
3-6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26;
3-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24.
The influenza vaccine shots are free for youth 18 years old and under and $25 for anyone over 18 years old. Promise also accepts insurance to cover the cost of the flu vaccines.
No appointments are necessary. People can walk in at any time during the flu clinics.
For children who are between the ages of 6-35 months and who are receiving their first flu vaccines, they will need to get two doses that are at least 28 days apart. Therefore, parents of those children are encouraged to attend both flu clinic dates so both doses can be given to their child. Otherwise, a special appointment will need to be made for the second dose.
“Influenza remains a serious threat for children, the elderly and anyone with chronic diseases but can cause death in any age group. In recent years, it has targeted young adults,” said Dr. Del Lassen of Promise CHC. “It is a moving target and changes every year, so yearly immunization is recommended. If you’ve ever had full-blown influenza, you never want it again.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the annual flu season can begin as early as October and end as late as May. Since 2010, nationwide, hospitalizations caused by influenza have ranged annually from 140,000 to 710,000 and flu-related deaths from 12,000 to 56,000. Conversely, the CDC estimates that the flu vaccination prevented 5.3 million influenza illnesses, 2.6 million influenza-associated medical visits and 85,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations nationwide.
The CDC states that the annual vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu. The vaccine protects against the influenza virus strains that research has indicated will be the most common during the upcoming flu season. People are protected against those infection strains after antibodies are developed in the body about two weeks following the vaccination. The flu vaccine cannot cause influenza.
To learn more about the flu vaccine, visit the CDC key facts page at www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm.
