Cherokee County resident, Chris McKee, gave a thumbs up after he and passenger, Duncan McKee, received flu vaccinations at the public health Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic in Woodstock on September 30th 

North GA – With COVID-19 still circulating, health officials are more urgently encouraging people to get their flu shot this year, and now *1,705 north Georgians have armed themselves against the flu at Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics led by Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield county health departments.

Conducted each fall in the North Georgia Health District since 2007, all six county Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics took place this year within the last two weeks of September.

Residents drove in for their flu shots, remaining safely in their vehicles, separated from others, while health department staff wore COVID-19 protective gear to guard against any possible transmission of the coronavirus. The vaccine provided included a quadrivalent flu vaccine that protects against four strains of flu, and for people 65 and older, a similar option was offered but is also a high dose flu shot that contains four times the protective antigen for those whose immune systems tend to weaken with age.

Besides being a safe and convenient method for a flu vaccination, the Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics provide an opportunity for county health departments and partnering agencies to test local plans for rapidly administering vaccine or medication during a public health crisis. Participating community partners include local law enforcement, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), businesses and first responders such as the county Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Departments.

At this time of year through spring, influenza viruses circulate at higher levels in the U.S., so a well-timed flu shot reduces the chances of getting seasonal flu and spreading it to others. When more people are vaccinated, less flu spreads through communities.

In addition to a flu shot, other actions to prevent the spread of flu and other viruses should include:

• Washing hands often with soap and warm water, if available – if not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub
• Covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, then dispose of the tissue
• Avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth – germs spread this way
• Avoiding close contact with sick people
• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu
• Staying home if experiencing flu-like symptoms – fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, runny nose, fatigue or vomiting and/or diarrhea – remain home for at least 24 hours after fever is gone without the aid of medication to keep from infecting others

Additionally, as with COVID-19, it is important to wear a mask or cloth face covering since this also helps prevent the spread of influenza and other respiratory viruses.

Because of the continued spread of coronavirus, it is more significant than ever that residents protect against the flu, reducing the dangerous risk of having both illnesses at the same time and to help avert a severe flu season that, combined with COVID-19 illnesses, could overwhelm our healthcare infrastructure.

For more information about influenza, log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/flu.

To contact a county health department in the North Georgia Health District for a flu shot and other services, or to find the nearest health department location, log onto www.nghd.org and click the LOCATIONS tab.

*Of the 1705 residents vaccinated this year at the Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics in North Georgia, the county health departments provided the following numbers of doses:

Cherokee County…….  290                    Gilmer County…………  140                    Pickens County……….   136

Fannin County…………  125                    Murray County………..  198                    Whitfield County……..  816

Vaccine Available at Health Departments & Upcoming Drive-Thrus in North GA

NORTH GEORGIA– Why is it especially important to get a flu shot this year? Flu vaccine reduces the risk of getting the flu or having severe illness for those who do get the virus. That is particularly crucial considering COVID-19 is circulating and protection against the flu helps strengthen our immune system. Moreover, were we to have a severe flu season in conjunction with the coronavirus pandemic, our healthcare infrastructure could become critically overburdened.

Flu vaccine is available now at county public health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties, and beginning next week, the health departments will conveniently inoculate residents 18 and older against the flu at their annual Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinics.

The Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics will allow people to stay safely in their vehicles, separated from others, while health department staff wear COVID-19 protective gear as they provide flu vaccinations. Clients driving through will also be required to wear a mask or cloth face covering.

The Drive-thru Flu Shot Clinics are scheduled, as follows:

• Whitfield: Tuesday, September 22nd, 9 A.M. – 3 P.M., Dalton Convention Center: 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road, Dalton, GA. Call (706) 279-9600 for more details.

• Gilmer: Tuesday, September 22nd, 8 A.M. – 1 P.M., ETC Pavilion: Legion Road, Ellijay, GA. Call (706) 635-4363 for more details.

• Fannin: Thursday, September 24th, 9 A.M. – 3 P.M., The Farmers Market: East First Street, Blue Ridge, GA. Call (706) 632-3023 for more details.

• Pickens: Monday, September 28th, 9 A.M. – 2 P.M., Mt. Zion Baptist Church: 1036 North Main Street, Jasper, GA. Call (706) 253-2821 for more details.

• Murray: Tuesday, September 29th, 8 A.M. – 6 P.M., Murray County Parks and Recreation Department: 651 Hyden Tyler Road, Chatsworth, GA. Call (706) 695-4585 for more details. UPDATE: Due to rain, the Flu Shot Clinic in Murray County is now being conducted INSIDE the building instead of out in the parking lot as a drive-thru, as planned.

• Cherokee: Wednesday, September 30th, 9 A.M. – 2 P.M., Woodstock City Church: 150 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock, GA. Call (770) 928-0133 or (770) 345-7371 for more details.

Since 2008, public health staff and community partners have tested their plans at the drive-thru flu shot clinics to rapidly administer medication during a public health crisis. Participating community partners include local law enforcement, volunteers, businesses and first responders such as the county Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical Services, local Law Enforcement and Fire Department.

The health departments offer quadrivalent flu vaccine, which protects against four strains of influenza, including the regular flu shot and the high-dose flu vaccine that contains four times the amount of protective antigen and is for people sixty-five and older.

The flu vaccine is no cost for anyone under one of several acceptable health insurance plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, United Healthcare, and others. For those paying out-of-pocket, the cost is still relatively low at $25 for the regular flu vaccine and $65 for the high-dose vaccine. Cash is accepted along with other forms of payment, depending on the county.

To arrange an appointment for a flu shot a county health department in the North Georgia Health District, log onto www.nghd.org and click on the Locations tab at the top of the home page.

To learn more about influenza and flu protection, log onto the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/flu/.