Get your flu shots!

Seasonal influenza vaccine is now available at the Cannon County Health Department. A flu vaccine clinic will be offered Nov. 4, 9, 16, 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Nov. 18, 23, 30 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cannon County Health Department.

No appointment is needed to get a flu vaccine. Flu shots will be provided during the vaccination clinic.

"It takes about two weeks to be protected after you get the flu vaccine, so it's a good idea to get the vaccine as soon as possible so you're protected before flu begins spreading in your area," said Andrea Fox, Cannon County Health Department director. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Cannon County Health Department recommend everyone six months of age and older get their yearly flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available in their community."

Seasonal flu is a contagious illness that can be serious and even deadly. Each year, we experience an epidemic of flu during the fall or winter; the timing, size and severity of these epidemics are unpredictable. Even during mild flu seasons, local outbreaks can affect large numbers of people in a community. Nationally, thousands of people die from influenza each year, most of them over age 65. However, the flu is capable of causing life-threatening illness in pregnant women and people of any age.

The Cannon County Health Department urges vaccination as the best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Because flu strains change gradually each year, all seasonal flu vaccines this year have been updated with at least two new strains designed to help prevent infections with the strains of flu that have been causing illness in the past year. Flu vaccine is plentiful and is available from many providers, including private physicians and pharmacies.

The cost of the flu shot at the health department is $30. Payment can be made in the form of cash, check or credit card. The health department will file insurance claims for flu vaccination for patients with traditional Medicare, TennCare, Community Health Alliance, Cigna private insurance or marketplace plans or BlueCross BlueShield private insurance or marketplace plans (Networks S, P and E). Adults with other private insurance or other marketplace plans will be charged the full amount for vaccine and vaccine administration and given a receipt to file their own claims with their insurance providers.

Children through 18 years of age who are uninsured or have private insurance plans that do
not cover flu vaccination are eligible to receive flu vaccine with a nominal charge for
administration of the vaccine, based on income. Uninsured adults will be charged for the flu vaccine and vaccine administration on a sliding fee scale based on income.

To make an appointment for vaccination or ask questions about flu vaccine, call the Cannon County Health Department at 615-563-4243.