It’s almost flu season and the Montgomery County Department of Health is getting ready to offer this year’s flu vaccine at locations throughout the county.
The flu clinics are designed to allow people to be able to get in and out quickly. All clinics will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., except the clinic at the Upper Merion site, which will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Residents who are Medicare eligible should bring their Medicare card.
The shots are free for Montgomery County residents and the health department will continue to vaccinate residents throughout the winter, or as long as it has the vaccine available.
Below are the clinic dates and locations:
- Saturday, Sept. 29, Upper Perkiomen High School, 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg
- Thursday, Oct. 4, Norristown Public Library, 1001 Powell St., Norristown
- Thursday, Oct. 11, Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen
- Saturday, Oct. 13, Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell
- Tuesday, Oct. 16, Upper Merion Township Building, 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia
- Saturday, Oct. 20, Abington Junior High School, 2056 Susquehanna Road, Abington
- Friday, Oct. 26, Sunnybrook Ballroom, 50 Sunnybrook Road, Pottstown
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency does not know exactly how many deaths each year are flu-related.
But, the CDC says everyone 6 months old and older should get a flu vaccine.
Per the CDC:
Flu vaccines (the flu shot and the nasal-spray flu vaccine (LAIV)) cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.
The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. Three kinds of influenza viruses commonly circulate among people today: influenza B viruses, influenza A (H1N1) viruses, and influenza A (H3N2) viruses. Each year, one flu virus of each kind is used to produce seasonal influenza vaccine.
The flu season can begin as early as October and end as late as May, according to the CDC. For more on influenza, click here.
--
Information courtesy of Montgomery County Communications Department
