Flu shot clinic helps with vaccination plans

The LENOWISCO Health District will offer free flu shots to Virginia residents ages 3 and up Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. during a drive-up clinic at the Norton/Wise County Health Department, 134 Roberts Ave. SW, Wise.

Vaccine will be available first-come, first-served, as long as supplies last. Please wear a short-sleeved shirt or sleeves that roll up easily, so you may be vaccinated in the convenience and comfort of your vehicle. No ID is required. The vaccine is the “quadrivalent” type, which covers four types of flu.

To save time, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/lenowisco/ to print and fill out a paper registration form to bring to the clinic. (Required sections are marked in yellow). This will simplify the paperwork at the clinic, but it does NOT reserve a dose of vaccine. If you are unable to complete the form in advance, you may fill one out at the site.

“Getting a flu vaccination this year is more important than ever,” said Dr. Eleanor Cantrell, director of the Cumberland Plateau and LENOWISCO Health Districts. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 will likely continue into the fall and winter and may overlap with the flu season. With the possibility of both viruses occurring in our communities at the same time, it is vital that everyone age 6 months or older get their yearly flu shot.”

The purpose of this drive-thru exercise is to simulate a mass vaccination event in which the health department and local agencies would work together so community members could be vaccinated efficiently during a time of emergency.

For more information about these clinics, contact Michael Whiteaker, local health emergency coordinator for the LENOWISCO Health District at 276/386-8011. For more information on seasonal flu or the flu vaccine, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/influenza-flu-in-virginia/ or www.cdc.gov/flu/.