Flu Season Around The Corner, ACHD Prepares

With the advent of Fall, the flu season soon follows and the Audrain County Health Department (ACHD) is preparing once again. The department will be offering three different types of the flu vaccine starting in October.

            “We will be offering Flublock, High Dose and Quadrivalent,” said ACHD Immunizations Coordinator Brandi Meyer, LPN. “Being able to offer the three different flu vaccinations to the general public makes sure we can reach all ages of the population with the vaccine as each vaccine is designed for a certain age.”

            Flublock is a brand of vaccine that has three times the standard-dose flu vaccine and is recommended for those residents over 50 years of age. High Dose vaccine has four times the amount of antigen as the standard dose flu vaccine and is recommended for those 65-plus. The Quadrivalent is designed for those six months and older.

            The Flublock and the High Dose will both be $79 and we can bill most major insurance companies for their vaccine. The Quadrivalent will cost $32.  

            “We will also be offering once again on-site vaccination clinics to any employer that wishes to offer this to their employees,” said Meyers. “We will offer all three brands to employer clinics as well.” For more information as to setting up a clinic with ACHD at your place of employment, you can contact Meyer using the information below.

            Vaccination clinics will begin on Monday October 3rd and, no appointment is necessary.  The clinic hours will be Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Thursday 8:00 a.m. to noon. There will be no clinics on Fridays.  

For more information, contact the ACHD at 573-581-1332 and ask to speak with Meyer about the vaccination program. And, keep watching our website where we will list our upcoming flu vaccination clinics at the ACHD at www.myachd.org.

Chris Newbrough