Oconto County Public Health Department will offer several options for adults and children to receive their flu vaccine.
Walk-in clinics will be held from 9-10 a.m. Mondays, Oct. 13 and 20, in the first floor jury room of Building C at the Oconto County Courthouse.
Individuals who are unable to visit a walk-in clinic may call 920-834-7000 to make an appointment for a flu vaccine at one of the immunization clinics at Mountain, Oconto or Oconto Falls.
The health department will provide free flu vaccines to students in early childhood to 12th grade at their schools. Flu mist and flu shots are available for early childhood to eighth-grade students at all school districts and to high school students in Lena, Oconto and Suring. Flu shots will be available to high school students in Gillett and Oconto Falls.
All students are eligible for the free flu vaccine, regardless of insurance or income. The free flu vaccine for students is available only at their schools as part of a public health preparedness effort.
Parents of students should have received a consent form for the free flu vaccine. For a copy of this form, go to www.ocph.info, click on Influenza, then free flu vaccines at schools.
The flu shot costs $25 for adults with no insurance or private insurance. OCPH will provide a receipt to be used for insurance reimbursement. Medicare and Medicaid cover the flu shot, and individuals are reminded to bring their Medicare or Medicaid cards when they receive a flu shot.
The shot or mist is free to children who have no insurance, have insurance that does not cover the flu vaccines, have insurance that has a monetary cap on vaccinations and individuals have met that cap, have medical assistance/Badger Care, or are Native Americans or Alaskan Natives. If a child does not meet an of these requirements, the vaccine costs $25.
The flu shot is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, although OCPH cannot vaccinate children 6 months to 2 years old, as the department does not have vaccine for this group. The flu can be especially dangerous for babies under 6 months and those 65 and older.
The flu comes on suddenly, and its symptoms are headache, fever, extreme fatigue and weakness, and severe body aches. To learn more about families affected by flu, go to www.ocph.info, click on Influenza, and then “Why Should I Get a Flu Shot?”
For more information, call Oconto County Public Health at 920-834-7000.
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