Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic Offered In Woodstock Tuesday

WOODSTOCK, GA — The opportunity to drive through and beat the flu at a public health drive-thru flu shot clinic is coming Tuesday to Woodstock.

The clinic is conducted annually by county public health departments in North Georgia, and will be offered:

• Cherokee: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Woodstock City Church, 150 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock
  • Call 770-928-0133 or 770-345-7371 for more details

Since 2008, public health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties have made it possible for residents to roll in, roll up a sleeve and arm themselves against the flu safely, quickly and conveniently while seated in their vehicles.

The Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics serve people age 18 and over. The types of flu vaccine offered at the clinics are the four-in-one quadrivalent flu vaccine and the high-dose vaccine for people 65 and older.

Quadrivalent flu vaccine protects people against four different strains of flu, including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.

High-dose flu vaccine is for people 65 years of age and older and contains four times the amount of protective antigen for immune systems that tend to weaken with age.

The vaccine is no-cost for anyone under one of several acceptable health insurance plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, United Healthcare, and others. For those without insurance coverage, the cost is still relatively low. The quadrivalent flu shot is $25 and the high-dose flu shot is $65. Cash will be accepted along with other forms of payment, depending on the county.

While arming residents against the flu at the Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics, public health staff and community partners test their plans for standing up a temporary Point of Dispensing (POD) to rapidly administer medication during a public health crisis. Participating community partners include local law enforcement, volunteers, businesses and first responders such as the county Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Department.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctor visits, and missed days from work and school, and it can prevent flu-related hospitalizations. As people get vaccinated, they are not only protecting themselves, but they are also helping to prevent the spread of the flu to others, including older people, very young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications.

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination. The most convenient way to get that vaccination in North Georgia is at the nearest public health drive-thru flu shot clinic.

For additional details about the Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics, contact one of the local county health departments listed above or log on here to the North Georgia Health District website.

To learn more about influenza and flu protection, log onto the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/flu/.