Free Flu Shots Are Being Offered By Montgomery County Government

SILVER SPRING, MD — Montgomery County is offering free flu shots to school-aged children at several local high schools Tuesday afternoon. As part of the county's annual flu vaccination campaign, anyone ages three to 18 can receive the influenza vaccine at one of the following locations:

• Kennedy High School, 1901 Randolph Rd, Silver Spring
• Northwest High School, 13501 Richter Farm Rd, Germantown
• Rockville High School, 2100 Baltimore Rd, Rockville

All children must be accompanied by an adult, according to government officials. Those eligible to get a flu shot Tuesday can schedule an appointment by visiting the county's website or by calling 311. Flu shots are being offered from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.

"A seasonal flu vaccine is one of the most effective and safest ways to protect yourself, your family and your community from the flu and serious flu-related complications, which can result in hospitalizations," Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the US Food and Drug Administration's commissioner, said in a Sept. 27 statement.

Both the FDA and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that everyone six months and older get an annual influenza vaccination. According to early estimates, the CDC reported more than 900,000 hospitalizations and 80,000 deaths across the county during the 2017-18 flu season.

In October, the Maryland Department of Health announced the first confirmed cases of the 2018-19 flu season. One case was in central Maryland while another was on the Eastern Shore, officials said.

For more information about Tuesday's event, click here.

Image via Shutterstock

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