Health Department Prepares For Flu Season

Channel 5 News NASHVILLE, Tenn., - According to the Metro Public Health Department, each year, nearly two out ten Americans get the flu and many of those cases could be prevented with the flu shot. Metro Public Health Department will begin offering flu shots at 8 a.m. Monday, October 20 at its annual Fast Track Flu Shot Clinic at the Lentz Public Health Center, 311 23rd Ave. North. The Fast Track clinic will offer flu shots October 20th through October 24th from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., the Fast Track clinic will be open until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21st. The Health Department is offering its services especially to those over 50 who do not normally get the flu vaccine, but they will not turn anyone away, up to the first 500 per site. In general, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, it is recommended that certain people should get vaccinated each year. They are either people who are at high risk of having serious flu complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications. According to the CDC, people who should get vaccinated each year are: children aged months up to their 19th birthday, pregnant women, people 50 years of age and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, people who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, and people who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including: health care workers, household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu, and household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated). For more information call the Health Department's flu shot hotline at 340-2100 for a recorded message.