October 1, 2019
For More Information, Contact
- Robert Parker, public information officer, Western Region, Virginia Department of Health, 540-580-2960
(GATE CITY, Va.) – On October 17, 2019 from 4 to 7 p.m. the LENOWISCO Health District will hold a drive-thru flu clinic at Weber City Baptist Church, 2436 U.S. Highway 23 North in Weber City, offering free flu vaccine to everyone ages 3 and up in the convenience and comfort of your vehicle. No ID is required. Vaccines supplies are limited; 250 doses will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Please wear a short-sleeved shirt or sleeves that roll up for easy access to the upper arm.
The purpose of this exercise is to simulate a mass vaccination event in which the health department and local agencies would work together so community members could be vaccinated efficiently during a time of emergency. An example would be a worldwide outbreak of influenza – also known as an influenza pandemic. This vaccine is provided by the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Emergency Preparedness.
A registration form is available online at www.vdh.virginia.gov/lenowisco/. You may print, fill out, sign and bring it with you to the clinic. This will simplify the paperwork at the clinic, but it does NOT reserve a dose of vaccine, which is available while supplies last.
The LENOWISCO Health District encourages everyone to stay healthy and protect others by getting a seasonal flu vaccine. It’s the best way to prevent seasonal flu. Also remember to always wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and stay home if you’re sick so you don’t spread the illness to others.
The timing of flu season is unpredictable. Seasonal flu activity often begins increasing in October. It usually peaks between December and February, but can last as late as May. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone age 6 months and older get a flu vaccine by the end of October. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body to protect against flu virus infection.
For more information on the clinic, contact Sydney Manis, local health emergency coordinator for the LENOWISCO Health District, at 276-386-8019. For more information on seasonal flu or the flu vaccine, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/influenza-flu-in-virginia/ or www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm.