ASAP Urgent Care Offers Flu Fridays

After seeing patients test positive for Influenza B at their clinics in Connecticut last month, ASAP Urgent Care doctors decided to do something special to entice people to come get their flu shots. The result? Flu Fridays.

Flu Fridays began at ASAP Urgent Care on Friday, October 17, and will continue all day each Friday (8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.) for the next several weeks at ASAP locations in Hamden, North Haven, Madison, and Milford. Every Flu Friday, the first 10 people to mention Flu Friday at each ASAP location will receive a pair of tickets to an upcoming Yale Football game. Flu shots are covered by most health insurance plans. (Pictured is Adam Rivers of KC101 receiving a pre-flu shot check-up.)

“September was definitely early for flu – last year’s flu season began in November,” says ASAP Urgent Care chief medical officer, Lawrence Earl, MD. “We’ve had patients test positive for Influenza B already this season, and we want to make sure we do our part to encourage people to get vaccinated.”

According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s (DPH) final weekly report for the 2013-2014 flu season, there were just under 7,000 positive Influenza reports last season. The DPH will begin weekly reports for this season next month. Flu season in Connecticut typically peaks in late February/early March. As reported by NBC News last December, the CDC says the flu vaccine kept nearly 80,000 people out of the hospital during the 2012-2013 flu season, and prevented 6.6 million cases of flu.

ASAP Urgent Care centers in Connecticut have the flu vaccine available now. In addition to getting vaccinated, frequent and thorough hand washing can help prevent the flu.

How to Know if You Have the Flu
People who have the flu will feel some or even all of the following:

• Fever or fever/chills (however, fever doesn’t always accompany the flu)
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (very tired)
• Vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children)

What To Do If You Think You Have the Flu
While most people are able to recover from the flu without medical attention by staying home until they’ve been fever free for 24 hours, some people are at risk of serious flu related complications and should see a doctor immediately. They include:

• Children under five years old, especially those under two;
• People over 65 years old;
• Pregnant women;
• People who have asthma, neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions, chronic lung disease, heart disease, and blood disorders.

If started early enough, there is medication available to shorten the course of the flu virus.

About ASAP Urgent Care
Founded in Connecticut by doctors with over three decades of experience, ASAP Urgent Care is dedicated to providing a better solution for people who have urgent medical needs. Two key ways ASAP does this is by always welcoming walk-in patients and guaranteeing they will be seen within 20 minutes of checking in. In addition to urgent care, ASAP offers occupational medicine, online doctor visits, and diet and sleep aid for patients of all ages. ASAP’s employer services help keep businesses running and employees healthy with a wide range of services from diagnostics, to flu clinics, to drug screenings, and more. To see ASAP Urgent Care, watch this short video.

Centers are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. ASAP guarantees patients will be seen within 20 minutes of checking in at its locations – if ASAP is somehow unable to fulfill this promise, patients made to wait more than 20 minutes will receive a credit of $20 toward their next visit. And, between now and the end of September, patients are invited to save $10 with an online coupon. Through ASAP’s website, patients can check in online before heading to a facility. Those not wanting to leave the comfort of their own homes can video conference with healthcare professionals. All ASAP Urgent Care centers – Hamden (203-248-2727), Madison (203-318-8000), Milford (203-877-2273), and North Haven (203-239-2727) – have received the Urgent Care Association of America’s (UCAOA) Certified Urgent Care designation. For more information, visit www.ASAPGetBetter.com and connect with ASAP on Facebook.