Nashville starts giving regular flu shots

Tennessean September 22, 2009 A steady stream flowed through the Metro health department for flu shots Monday, the first day for the fast-track clinic that runs through Friday. The shots will not protect against the H1N1 flu virus. The health department anticipates providing those shots later. The clinic is in the auditorium at the Lentz Health Center, 311 23rd Ave. N. There are 14 stations open simultaneously so there was no wait, said Brian Todd, health department spokesman. The shots cost $20. The clinic accepts Medicare Part B and TennCare. The fast-track clinic will be open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday at Lentz. Flu shots will then be available through the regular clinic at Lentz and at the East and Woodbine health centers. Todd said health officials expect seasonal flu cases to begin appearing in mid-December. It is doing the flu shot clinic early so people can get that out of the way before the H1N1 shots are available. High-risk groups for seasonal flu shots are children, pregnant women, those 50 or older, people with chronic illnesses and those who live or work in long-term care facilities or are health-care workers. But Todd said anyone who wants to avoid the flu can get a shot.