The Frederick County Health Department will be hosting a flu clinic in both Emmitsburg and Thurmont on October 28, 2005. The flu clinic dates are as follows:

Thurmont Senior Center, Friday, October 28, 2005- 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at 806 E. Main Street, Thurmont.

Emmitsburg Senior Center, Friday, October 28, 2005- 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at 300 S. Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg.

In anticipation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifting on October 24 the current recommended restrictions regarding limiting the availability of Flu shots to those persons in certain high-risk groups, the Flu clinics have been scheduled. These will be walk-in clinics – appointments will not be available. The cost of a flu shot is $15.00 – cash or check, credit cards are not accepted. If you have a Medicare part B card please remember to bring it with you.

All Frederick county residents will be eligible to receive a Flu shot at any of these clinics.

It is especially important that individuals in a high-risk category get their flu shots, which include the following individuals:

• Children 6 – 23 months of age
• People 65 years of age or older
• Adults and children 2 years of age and older with lung or heart disorders including heart disease and asthma, chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes), kidney diseases, blood disorders (such as sickle cell anemia), or weakened immune systems, including persons with HIV/AIDS
• Pregnant women
• Children and teenagers, 6 months to 18 years of age, who take aspirin daily
• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities
• Household members and out-of-home caregivers of infants under the age of 6 months (children under the age of 6 months cannot be vaccinated)
• Healthcare workers who provide direct, hands-on care to patients

FluMist, the intranasal vaccine, will be available at these clinics for those individuals who are between the ages of 5-49 years and are in good health. The FluMist vaccine cost is $17.00.

A Pneumonia vaccine will be available for $24.00 and Tetanus vaccine will be available for $28.00.

For additional information call the Flu Information Line at 301-631-3035 or visit the Frederick County Health Department website at www.frederickhealth.org.