Free frozen turkey available, with flu shot on the side

SAN LEANDRO >> Get a free flu shot and go home with a free frozen turkey.

That’s the win-win deal Alameda County is offering Wednesday at the San Leandro Senior Community Center, 13909 E. 14th St.

The county clinic will be open by appointment only between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. To make an appointment, call 510- 577-3462.

There is no cost for vaccination and no insurance is required. People with appointments can either walk through or drive through to receive a flu shot.

“Getting a f lu shot is not just critical for keeping yourself safe this winter, but also to ensure the safety of all communities throughout Alameda County,” Supervisor Wilma Chan said in a news release. “As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, this clinic will be an invaluable resource for our residents while reducing the pressure on our public health providers.”

All San Leandro residents are eligible to receive a vaccination, as are residents from nearby communities such as Oakland and Hayward, as well as those who live in the county’s unincorporated areas.

All ages are welcome. But city of San Leandro and Alameda County officials, who jointly announced the clinic on Friday, said people age 55 and older will get priority.

The f lu shots also are strongly recommended for pregnant women, children 5 or younger and individuals with chronic medical conditions.

“We are in the midst of flu season and another wave of COVID-19 cases,” San Leandro Mayor Pauline Cutter said in written statement. “This year it is more critical than ever for everyone to get a flu shot. We must avoid a ‘ twindemic’ and surges that compromise our hospital and health care systems along with flu symptoms that mimic COVID-19.”

Flu symptoms typically include fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, aches and fatigue.

Because symptoms are similar, people with flu symptoms may require a COVID-19 test, organizers of the vaccination clinic said.

Indiv idua ls show ing symptoms of the coronavirus should also quarantine at home and isolate themselves from family members pending test results.