By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Now is the time to get your flu shot to be prepared for the upcoming flu season.
Flu season typically comes in December and January, but getting your flu shot now will help to start to build up those antibodies to have you protected.
St. Joseph Health Department Clinic Supervisor Holly Hazzard says its vitally important to get your flu shot
"It is the best way to protect not only yourself but your family, your friends, everybody you live with, to protect everybody around you from getting the flu and making sure that if you do get that flu that it's a lighter version of the flu and it's not going to make you hospitalized," Hazzard tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Hazzard says October is normally the ideal time to get your flu shot.
"But it really just depends on the year," Hazzard says. "Last year we kind of saw a flu spike early on in the year and then it kind of drifted off after that, we usually see flu spikes around December or January."
Hazzard says the annual flu shot clinic happening on October 11th is the kickoff event for the department providing flu shots
"So, we start at this flu clinic we do about 200 to 250 vaccinations, we are prepared for 250 people this year," Hazzard explains.
The clinic will be held at the Civic Arena. Hazzard says what people will be able to receive at the clinic will only be the flu shot
"We are waiting on our COVID shipments, as soon as they come in and as soon as we're able to make those available we intend on doing COVID outreach clinics as well," Hazzard says.
The clinic will be held from 9am until noon or while supplies last for residents 19 and older.
The St. Joseph Health Department will be closed on the 11th, but will resume normal business hours on the 12th, also giving out flu shots from the clinic.