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Date: 9/14/2017
LONGMEADOW – With temperatures starting to drop and cold weather creeping in, flu season is just around the corner. The Longmeadow Board of Health has announced a schedule of public flu clinics for this fall to be sure that adults 18 years of age or older who live or work in Longmeadow are protected from catching the flu.
Longmeadow Health Director Beverly Hirschhorn stated that though this years flu season is not predicted to be any more severe than recent years, there is potential for a new virus.
“A new virus or a mutated version of an old virus can start circulating at any time and against which there is no or limited immunity. The H1N1 pandemic of about ten years ago was such an example. Also viruses tend to change slightly during their circulation during flu season, even subtle changes will effect the effectiveness of the available flu vaccine,” Hirschhorn said.
Hirschhorn noted that the flu vaccine is annually updated in content to account for the flu viruses that have been identified as circulating in the Southern Hemisphere where the flu season is now winding down. Additionally, she mentioned that in the United States alone, thousands of individuals pass away and even higher numbers are hospitalized with primary flu infections or due to secondary infections such as pneumonia that developed in individuals who originally were infected with influenza.
“All individuals six months and older are recommended to receive flu shots; individuals at the highest risk of flu-related hospitalization or death are infants, pregnant women, individuals 65 years or older, or individuals of any age with chronic medical conditions that weaken the immune system,” Hirschhorn stated.
Hirschhorn recommends individuals get a flu shot in the fall before there are a lot of active disease cases, and that people should plan ahead as it takes two weeks to develop immunity after the shot is administered.
The dates for the public flu clinics are as follows: Oct. 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Greenwood Center Gym, Oct. 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Greenwood Council on Aging (COA) in the over-60 room, Oct. 16 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Greenwood COA nurse’s office, Oct. 24 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Greenwood COA nurse’s office, Oct. 26 from 4p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Greenwood COA over 60 room and Nov. 1 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Storrs Library community room.
According to a release provided by the Board of Health, Midcare B, Mass Health and practically all Massachusetts Medicare Advantage Plans and private/employer commercial health insurance plans for individuals under age 65 cover the charges for flu shots administered by boards of health in full without any co-pay. Bring an insurance card to the flu shot clinic to verify.