Local residents rolled through Flint Hills Community Health Center Friday to receive their annual flu shot.
The Health Center’s traditional drive-through flu shot clinic ran from the early hours of the morning through the afternoon with hundreds of individuals passing through to ensure they’re protected during the upcoming flu season. With the flu season now upon us six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Lyon County Public Health Medical Support Manager Melissa Smith says clinics such as Friday’s are more important than ever.
During an interview with KVOE Thursday morning, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern discussed COVID-19 fatigue beginning to set in on the local community. She says while people are certainly growing tired of discussing the pandemic, she does not think that fatigue will have any effect on vaccination rates through the flu season.
The Health Center does not have the high-dose vaccine available, however, Millbern says there are plenty of locations across the community where residents can get the vaccine dosage that best suits their needs. Most local pharmacies have both low-dose for residents under age 65 and the high-dose vaccine for those over age 65.
With the combination of COVID-19 and the flu season now upon us, Millbern and Smith say vaccinations are more important now than ever as health officials have continuously expressed concerns about the potential of flu and coronavirus putting a heavy strain on medical providers and bed space later this fall and through the winter.
For more information on flu vaccinations or to schedule a vaccination appointment contact FHCHC by calling 620-342-4864.
