Flu clinics planned following delivery of flu vaccine

Next clinics on Saturday, November 8

PRESS RELEASE
October 31, 2014

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The first cases of seasonal influenza (flu) have recently been reported in Colorado. If you have been putting it off, or haven’t given flu season much thought, now is the time to get your vaccination to protect yourself from this potentially fatal virus.

Community flu vaccine clinics will be held Saturday, November 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Garfield County Public Health departments in Rifle and Glenwood Springs. The Rifle location is at 195 West 14th Street, across from City Market. The Glenwood office is at 2014 Blake Avenue, next to Valley View Hospital. No appointments are necessary.

Typically in October, the health department works tirelessly administering flu clinics to thousands of residents in our community. “This year was a little different for us,” said Danielle Yost, immunizations coordinator for Garfield County Public Health. “Some healthcare providers have experienced a delay in receiving flu vaccine from manufacturers. Normally, we have held several community flu clinics by this time in the season. But with only a limited amount of vaccine, we weren’t able to schedule as many of those clinics yet.”

Though the initial vaccine delay affected some healthcare providers’ abilities to vaccinate early, over two-thirds of the requested vaccine supply has now been distributed.

“There is still plenty of time to take advantage of vaccination to protect yourself this flu season” said Yost. “Most of the time, flu activity peaks between December and February, although it can last as late as May. The flu vaccine offers the best protection against the flu, for you, your family, and for the community. The more people that are vaccinated, the safer we all are.”

Garfield County Public Health will offer additional flu clinics as they receive more vaccine.

For more information on seasonal influenza, or for questions about flu clinics, please contact Garfield County Public Health at 970-945-6614, or visit garfield-county.com.