The Onondaga County Health Department, in partnership with the University of Rochester Medical Center, has scheduled three (3) flu and pneumonia vaccine clinics throughout Onondaga County. The clinics are scheduled on:
- Saturday October 6th from 9:00 am -12:00 noon at Believers Chapel in Cicero
- Tuesday, October 9th from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm at Solvay-Geddes Community Center in Syracuse
- Tuesday October 16th from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm at Tucker Missionary Baptist Church in Syracuse
Cynthia Morrow, MD, MPH, Commissioner of Health for Onondaga County, explained, “Getting a flu vaccine is the single best way to prevent getting the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone over 6 months old get a flu vaccine.” Morrow further explained that the flu vaccine is especially important for children and adults with high risk conditions such as asthma. Starting today, Onondaga County residents can schedule appointments either online at www.onflu.net or by telephone at 435-5752. The telephone hotline will be operating Monday-Friday from 9:00 am -4:00 pm.
Individuals with access to a computer and an email account can schedule a flu or pneumonia vaccine appointment on-line anytime, 24 hours a day. Friends and/or family members can also schedule an appointment for those who do not have web access. Individuals can schedule up to ten appointments for themselves, family and/or friends. The on-line service also includes information about: locations and directions to clinics, what you need to bring to your appointment, and general information about both flu and pneumonia prevention.
The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months of age get a flu vaccine each year. To support this, and to provide optimal customer service, all Onondaga County Health Department flu and pneumonia vaccine clinics will provide flu vaccines for children six months old and older and their families. Furthermore, FluMistâ (a vaccine that is sprayed inside the nose) will also be available for those who prefer an alternative to the traditional flu shot. FluMistâ is only recommended and offered to healthy children and adults ages 2-49 years old.
Children under the age of nine who have never had a flu vaccine series before will need two doses of vaccine (either the shot or FluMist®). The second vaccine should be given one month after the first shot or FluMist®. If your child is under nine and only received one dose of vaccine last year, they should receive one dose this year.
The CDC continues to reinforce that an annual flu vaccine is particularly important for persons at high risk for complications from the flu, or for those who have contact with people at high risk. Those include the following:
- Pregnant women
- Children younger than five, but especially children younger than two years old
- People 50 years of age and older
- People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
- People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
o Health care workers
o Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
o Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than six months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
Getting a flu vaccine helps to protect your health as well as that of your family, friends, and others. Get your flu vaccine … to protect yourself and others!