Seasonal Flu Vaccine Available at December Clinics

December 7, 2010

(MARTINSVILLE, Va.) – The West Piedmont Health District will offer free seasonal flu vaccine to everyone ages six months and up at a series of vaccine clinics in December:

  • Henry-Martinsville Health Department, 295 Commonwealth Blvd., Martinsville, 276-638-2311. These clinics are walk-in, no appointment is needed.
    • Mondays, Dec. 13, 20, and 27 – 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m.
    • Thursdays, Dec. 9, 16, and 30 – 2 to 4 p.m.
    • Tuesday, Dec. 21 – 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m.
    • Wednesday, Dec. 29 – 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m.
  • Franklin County Health Department, 365 Pell Ave., Rocky Mount, 540-484-0292. These clinics are by appointment only. Please call for an appointment.
    • Wednesdays, Dec. 8, 15, and 22 – 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
  • Patrick County Health Department, 106 Rucker St., Stuart, 276-693-2070. These clinics are by appointment only. Please call for an appointment.
    • Thursdays, Dec. 9 and 16 – 1 to 3:30 p.m.

For those with healthcare insurance, the insurance will be billed; however, there will be no additional charge over what the insurance provider will pay. “Those without insurance will receive the vaccine without charge,” said Gordon Green, M.D., director, West Piedmont Health District.

Influenza, or “the flu,” is a highly-contagious respiratory disease. Typical flu symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches, and extreme fatigue. The flu season in southwest Virginia usually peaks in January and February. Each year in the United States approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu illness, and flu-related deaths range from 3,000 to 49,000 each year — averaging 24, 000 — over the last three decades.

Annual vaccination is especially recommended for the following high-risk groups:

  • Persons at high risk for complications, including children ages six months to five years, pregnant women, people 50 years of age and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, and people who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.
  • People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications, including household contacts of persons at high risk, household contacts and caregivers of children less than six months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated), and health care workers.

For more information, call your local health department listed above, or visit www.vdh.virginia.gov.