WCDPHE offering free flu shot clinics throughout December
Published on December 01, 2020
Weld County — Health officials at the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE) are asking the public to fight the flu by getting their annual vaccination for influenza this year. Each winter, people sick with flu crowd hospitals and urgent care clinics. Early and timely flu shots can prevent a disease that hospitalizes 200,000 Americans every year.
It is important to get a new flu vaccine each year. The flu vaccine offers protection for many months, but not forever. Also, the strains of influenza circulating in the community change over time, and the current vaccine offers protection against those strains.
To keep yourself and your family out of the hospital, doctors recommend an annual flu shot for everyone age 6 months or older. The flu shot is a safe, effective way to reduce your chance of missing work or ending up in the hospital due to severe flu. Symptoms of the flu can be like early symptoms of COVID-19, meaning that this year, people with flu symptoms may require a COVID-19 test and may need to stay home from work and isolate away from their families while awaiting results.
With COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season overlapping, county health officials say it's more important than ever to get vaccinated against influenza this year.
Health officials are worried about a so-called "twindemic" or "double surge" in the coming months where hospitals are overwhelmed by having to care for both flu patients and COVID-19 patients.
Flu vaccination is the best protection against influenza. Another reason to get vaccinated: people can get sick with COVID and the flu at the same time, which may increase the risk they will need hospitalization.
The County will be offering free flu shots to residents on the following dates:
- Wednesday, December 2: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Southwest Health Department, 4209 County Road 24 ½, Longmont, CO 80504
- Thursday, December 3: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., North County Health Department, 1555 N. 17th Ave., Greeley, CO 80631
- Wednesday, December 9: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., North County Health Department, 1555 N. 17th Ave., Greeley, CO 80631
- Friday, December 11: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Southwest Health Department, 4209 County Road 24 ½, Longmont, CO 80504
- Monday, December 14: 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., North County Health Department, 1555 N. 17th Ave., Greeley, CO 80631
- Wednesday, December 16: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Southwest Health Department, 4209 County Road 24 ½, Longmont, CO 80504
- Monday, December 28: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., North County Health Department, 1555 N. 17th Ave., Greeley, CO 80631
Appointments are strongly encouraged and may be made by calling WCDPHE’s Public Health Services Division at (970) 304-6420.