Flu shots still available at local health departments

From Staff Reports

Influenza activity is slowly rising in Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health, and there have been two confirmed influenza-associated deaths. Both were individuals older than 65 years of age.

“While we’ve seen minimal activity so far this season, that doesn’t mean it will be a quiet year,” says Polk County Health Department Nurse Manager Malindy Ely. “In the past few years, flu season peaked rela- tively early in late December and early January, but influenza activity in Georgia typically peaks in February, so we should prepare for the possibility of more.”

“If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to get vaccinated. It takes about two weeks for vaccinations to be effective. So far, evidence suggests the circulating strains are similar enough to the one in this season’s flu vaccine to trigger protection.”

Ely says the health department has already given 1,246 influenza vaccinations this flu season, 200 more than last.

Acceptable payment methods for flu vaccine include cash, credit-and-debit cards, Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna and BlueCross BlueShield of Georgia.

For more information, contact the Polk County Health Department in Cedartown at 770749-2270 and in Rockmart at 770684-1385.

For information about influenza immunizations, visit http://www.cdc. gov/flu/protect/vaccine/index.htm