Health Department to distribute flu vaccines Wednesday

The Columbia/Boone County Health Department will hold the second of four public flu clinics this year Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. at its offices at 1005 W. Worley St.

Vaccinations cost $20. Both flu shots and FluMist, which is given in the form of a nasal spray, will be offered. While the department cannot bill private insurance plans, officials can bill Medicaid and Medicare as well as print receipts for patients to turn into their insurance providers.

In order to accommodate as many residents as possible, the clinic will accept walk-ins throughout the day. Residents can speed up their visit by filling out a printable vaccination consent form on the Health Department’s Web site.

Deidre Wood, a spokeswoman for the Health Department, said 454 flu vaccinations were administered during the department’s first clinic last week. Thirty pneumonia vaccines were also given, which are available at the clinics for $30.

Influenza is a viral respiratory illness that is responsible for approximately 36,000 deaths every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The Health Department urges anyone who wants to reduce their risk of contracting the flu to be vaccinated, especially “high-risk” individuals such as adults over 50, children six months to 5 years old, pregnant women and those with a chronic disease.