Get Ready to Fight Flu!
Friday September 29, 2023
September and October are the recommended months for flu shots
Image courtesy of Center Grove Community School Corporation
Have you received your flu shot? September and October are the recommended months for flu shots. The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is reminding you that it is time to fight the flu!
“An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu,” says Kali Nichols, Director of Personal Health and Disease Prevention. “Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone ages six months and up. It is an important preventative tool for people with chronic health conditions, and has also been shown to be life-saving for children who get the flu. Vaccinating pregnant women helps protect them from flu illness and hospitalization, and has been shown to help protect the baby from flu infection for several months after birth.”
It is important to get a flu shot every year because the flu virus is constantly changing. Flu vaccines may be updated from one season to the next to protect against the viruses that research suggests will be common during the upcoming flu season. While some people who are vaccinated still get sick, flu vaccination has been shown to reduce severity of illness and reduce incidence of hospitalization.
Flu vaccine is widely available and may be fully covered by your insurance at your local pharmacy or Primary Care Provider office! Flu shots are also available through BHSJ CHA at no cost for those with Medicaid, Medicare, and certain insurance plans. Call your local office to schedule an appointment and to determine if your insurance is accepted. BHSJ CHA offers free vaccinations, through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program for those under 18, and the BRIDGES program for persons 18 and older, to qualifying families or individuals who are not insured or whose insurance does not cover immunizations.
Branch County: Monday immunization clinics – call 517-279-9561 ext. 198
Hillsdale County: Wednesday immunization clinics – call 517-437-7395 ext. 398
St. Joseph County: Tuesday immunization clinics – call 269-273-2161 ext. 298
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is committed to promoting wellness, preventing disease, providing health care, and protecting the environment.