Published: October 12, 2009 09:36 am      

Flu prevention focus of clinic

One series of clinics targeting the prevention of seasonal flu wrapped up this week in Garvin County as a single event offering vaccination shots to the public quickly follows in Pauls Valley.

The special flu clinic by the Garvin County Health Department is planned from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12 at the Higher Ground Church.

It comes after health officials held similar clinics this past week at senior citizen centers throughout the county.

Now they will do something new to this county — hold a flu clinic away from those centers or the health department facilities in Pauls Valley or Lindsay.

“We hold the clinics at the senior centers in the county but besides that this is the first time we’ve gone off site,” said Lori Fisher, administrative assistant for the county health department.

“We’re trying to hit as many people as possible and make it more accessible. We think we can do that by holding it off site and for a longer time frame,” she said. “The thing for us is to try it and see how it goes.”

Monday’s off-site clinic may be the first locally, but not for the region.

The numbers from a recent one-day flu clinic in Sulphur show how effective it can be. During that clinic nearly 1,400 flu shots were given, Fisher said.

“Obviously we can’t see that many people here,” she said, referring to the health department facility.

Next week also signals the start of clinics offered on a regular basis.

In Lindsay the vaccinations are to be offered at the health department office on Mondays only starting Oct. 12 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.

The health department in Pauls Valley gets the flu clinics started on Thursday, Oct. 15.

Afterwards shots in Pauls Valley are to be offered on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.

Fisher said that although there is no charge for flu vaccinations through the health department, donations are accepted to help offset administrative costs.

However, due to increased costs in the health care industry, plans are in place for the health department to begin charging for the flu vaccine next year.