Flu shots

With flu season in full swing, local cases so far haven’t surged to numbers that concern medical professionals — and the staff at Cullman Regional is hoping a little diligence and some easy precautions can keep things that way.

“Our lab actually begins tracking the number of flu tests done in our emergency department in September and we watch the trends and compare them to the previous year,” said Lindsey Dossey, VP of marketing at Cullman Regional. “We are starting to see more testing; however, we still have relatively low positive tests with an average of about one per week consistently for approximately nine weeks.”

To help reduce the number of flu-related illnesses in the community this flu season, Cullman Regional is offering easy access to flu vaccinations. Shots are covered by most major insurance providers at the Cullman Regional Family Care Clinic. Vaccinations are available for anyone age six and older, with limited pediatric vaccinations available.

High-dosage shots are available for people age 65 and up, and those vaccinations are covered by Medicare.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends a yearly flu vaccine for anyone six months of age and older. In addition to getting a seasonal flu vaccine, you can take everyday preventive actions like staying away from sick people and washing your hands to reduce the spread of germs. If you do get sick with flu, stay home from work or school to prevent spreading flu to others. In addition, there are prescription medications called antiviral drugs that can be used to treat influenza illness.

Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk for developing flu complications, and their close contacts. Also, if you have a loved one who is at high risk of flu complications and they develop flu symptoms, encourage them to get a medical evaluation for possible treatment with flu antiviral drugs. These drugs work best if given within 48 hours of when symptoms start.

The Cullman Regional Family Care Clinic is located on the Cullman Regional campus, Professional Office Building 1, 4th Floor, Suite 450. Walk-ins are accepted for the Flu Shot Clinic dates and times only. For more information, contact the Cullman Regional Family Care Clinic at 256-735-5075 or visit online at CullmanRegionalFamilyCare.com.

Standard flu shots and high dose shots also are available at the Cullman Regional Urgent Care Pharmacy. Flu Shots are available for patients age 8 and older, Monday through Friday, 7:30 am until 4 pm. No appointment is necessary.