Montgomery County Offering Free Flu Shots

The Montgomery County Department of Health is partnering with schools, community organizations, churches, and others to offer free flu clinics throughout October and November.

Vaccinations are free to Montgomery County residents. The county's health department is requesting that all Medicare beneficiaries and clients with health insurance bring their insurance cards. The health department may seek reimbursement from insurance providers, clinic organizers said.

The following list includes, dates, times, and locations of the clinics throughout the county:

• Saturday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Abington Junior High School, 2056 Susquehanna Road, Abington;
• Thursday, Oct. 6, 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1001 Powell St., Norristown;
• Thursday, Oct. 13, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Hope Community Church, 2732 N. Charlotte Sr. Gilbertsville;
• Saturday, Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Montgomery County Community College, College Hall rooms144 148 and 151, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell;
• Tuesday, Oct. 18 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Upper Merion Township Building, 175 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia;
• Tuesday, Nov. 8 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church (Vote and Vax), 1000 W. Main St. Lansdale.

Detweiler Family Medicine, the Montgomery County Health Department, Main Line Health, and the Norristown Area School District are also providing flu clinics to the community. Registration is encouraged as it will limit wait times. Clinics will be held:

• Tuesday, Oct. 4, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Eisenhower Science & Technology Leadership Academy (ESTLA), 1601 Markley St., Norristown. Click here to preregister;
• Thursday, Oct 27, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Norristown Area High School (NAHS), 1900 Eagle Drive, Norristown. Click here to preregister.

Additional flu clinics held by Community Health Services in partnership with the Montgomery County Health Department for those 19 years of age and older require registration. Call 1-866-CALL-MLH to register. Dates, times and locations are:

• Wednesday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. yo 11:30 a.m. at PALM Senior Center of Ardmore, 117 Ardmore Ave., Ardmore;
• Wednesday Oct. 19, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Merion Fire Company of Ardmore, 35 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore;
• Monday Oct. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Upper Merion Senior Center, 431 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone six months of age and older get their yearly flu vaccine as soon as vaccines become available in their community," according to the Montgomery County Commissioner's office. "Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza and its potentially severe complications"

The health department said the best way to avoid the flu is to get a flu shot; cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and wash your hands often; and to take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.

According to the CDC, each year in the United States approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu illness; and flu-related deaths range from 3,000 to 49,000 each year, averaging 24,000 over the last three decades.

Find information about the flu on the Montgomery County Health Department website or by calling (610) 278-5117.

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