COURT HOUSE – Cape May County Freeholder Kristine Gabor reminds residents to start thinking about scheduling their annual flu shot. “Last year’s flu season started early and was fairly severe. It is a good reminder that influenza causes a lot of illness and it can be serious. The timing of the flu season is unpredictable, and it is important to get vaccinated before flu activity starts,” said Kevin Thomas, Cape May County Health Officer. . “Because the body’s immunity against flu viruses declines over time, and because flu viruses are constantly changing, it is important to get vaccinated every year,” Thomas added. The Department of Health will be offering many types of flu clinics this year and several clinic dates are already set. To keep up to date on all of the County’s flu clinics, check the website at www.cmchealth.net, call the flu hotline at 463-6581, and “like” Cape May County on Facebook.
Early-Bird gets the Worm (or the free flu shot)! The Department of Health will hold its first free flu clinic on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 12-4 p.m. at St. Frances Cabrini Church, Culliney Hall, located at 2nd St. & Atlantic Ave. in Ocean City. Consent forms are available online, at the Department of Health, and will be available at the flu clinic. This clinic is for all ages and the FluMist nasal spray vaccine will also be available!
Special Senior High-Dose Flu & Pneumonia Clinics: The high-dose flu vaccine and the pneumonia vaccine will be offered at special senior clinics. The high-dose vaccine is a flu vaccine licensed only for seniors. It is available at no cost for persons who have the following insurance as their primary payer: Medicare Part B, Aetna, CIGNA, Coventry, Humana, Medicare Railroad, Three Rivers, United Healthcare, and United Mine Workers of America. The standard-dose flu vaccine is also available for free, regardless of insurance coverage. The pneumonia vaccine is available for $15 (cash or check). Please bring your Medicare cards and supplemental insurance cards to the clinic. Consent forms for the high-dose flu vaccine are only available onsite. High-dose flu vaccine will be offered on the following dates and locations:
• Oct. 1, 1-3 p.m.
Lower Cape Senior Center, 2612 Bayshore Road, Villas
• Oct. 8, 9-11 a.m.
Ocean City Senior Center, 1735 Simpson Avenue, Ocean City
• Oct. 23, 2-6 p.m.
County Department of Health, 6 Moore Road (bldg #17), CMCH
Drive-through and Prevent the Flu! The Department of Health will hold its popular free drive-through flu clinic for residents 14 years and older on Sunday October 6th from 8:00am-1:00pm at Kindle Ford Autoplaza in CMCH. For everyone’s safety, completed consent forms are required. Forms can be downloaded at cmchealth.net, they are available at the Department of Health, and they will be in local newspapers the week before the drive-through clinic. Please wear a short-sleeved shirt and for the safety of our staff, leave your pets at home. If you need assistance with transportation to get to the drive-through clinic, call Fare Free Transportation at 889-3700.
Children and Families Clinics: Children and Families clinics are for all kids older than 6 months of age AND their families! While supplies last, the FluMist nasal spray will also be offered at these clinics. As a reminder, kids less than 5 years of age in daycare or preschool must get vaccinated against the flu each year to attend school after December. Children and Families clinics are now scheduled on the following dates and locations:
• Oct. 2, 2:30-4 p.m.
Woodbine Elementary School, 801 Webster St, Woodbine
• Oct. 10, 3-5 p.m.
Glenwood Avenue Elementary School, Glenwood & NY Ave, Wildwood
• Oct. 23, 2-6 p.m.
County Department of Health, 6 Moore Road (bldg #17), CMCH
• Oct. 30, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Margaret Mace Elementary School, 1201 Atlantic Ave, N. Wildwood
For all County flu clinics, if you have a severe allergy to eggs, other vaccine component, or if you have been told by a doctor that you have had Guillain-Barré syndrome, you need to receive the flu vaccine from your personal physician. If you have a severe allergy to Thimerosal, you can receive the vaccine from the Department of Health, but not at the drive-through clinic.
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