Hospital will provide 300 free flu shots on a first come, first served basis
Covington, Ga. (Oct. 9, 2019) – Piedmont Newton Hospital will hold its third annual free ‘drive-thru’ flu shot clinic on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Community members are invited to walk, bike, or drive over to receive their free flu shot. Hospital employees will be administering flu shots in the parking lot located at the corner of Newton Drive and N. Dearing Street.
“Receiving an annual flu vaccination is the best way to help prevent contracting the flu,” said Norris Little, M.D., chief medical officer at Piedmont Newton Hospital. “We will be providing 300 free flu shots to individuals age 15 and older during our event, but we recommend that everyone six months and older receives a flu shot.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Anyone can get very sick from the flu, including people who are otherwise healthy. Receiving a flu vaccine can help protect you from getting the flu.
“During the 2018 event, we administered 250 flu shots in 90 minutes,” said Dr. Little. “Our goal was to make receiving the flu shot as easy as possible so more people in the community could get vaccinated to protect themselves and others from the flu.”
People who are at higher risk of developing serious complications from the flu include young children, pregnant women, people over the age of 65, and individuals with chronic health conditions such as asthma, those with heart and lung diseases or diabetes.
“The CDC estimates that millions of individuals get the flu each year with hundreds of thousands requiring hospitalization,” said Dr. Little. “Even if you have received a flu vaccination, it is still possible to contract the flu, however, the symptoms you experience will be milder and it lessens the risk for severe complications.”
The 300 free flu shots will be given on a first come, first served basis. Those wishing to receive a vaccination during the ‘drive-thru’ clinic are encouraged to arrive early. For more information on the benefits of receiving a flu vaccination or to book an appointment online to receive a flu shot, visit www.piedmont.org/flu.