Health Dept. sets drive thru flu clinics

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The Carroll County General Health District will be holding two Drive Thru Flu Clinics: Friday, Oct. 2 from 7-11 a.m. and Oct. 9 from 1-5 p.m. These clinics will not be held at the fairground this year. The Drive Thru Flu Clinics will be held in the Carroll County General Health District parking lot. Vehicles will enter from Moody Avenue on the lower level to register, and drive to the upper level for vaccination, exiting onto Courtview Dr.. Pre-registration is preferred, and information regarding the clinic can be found at www.carroll-lhd.org.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the best protection against seasonal flu viruses. Flu vaccines have been updated this year to better match circulating flu viruses.

“This year it is more important than ever to get your flu vaccine! It will help doctors and healthcare providers know if illness this winter is from the flu or COVID-19,” said Kelly Engelhart, director of Nursing and Population Health.

Symptoms of influenza are very similar to COVID-19 and can include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Very distinctive to COVID-19, however, is the loss of taste and smell.

Although most people fully recover from the flu, some experience severe illness like pneumonia and respiratory failure, and the flu can sometimes be fatal. People who think that they may have the flu and are pregnant, have an underlying medical condition, or who are extremely ill should contact their healthcare provider immediately.

The district offers the pediatric flu vaccine to children six months to 35 months in age and the regular flu vaccine to those individuals ages 3 years and up. For flu vaccinations after Oct. 9, call the health district nursing department at 330-627-4866 x 1530 to schedule an appointment.

While vaccination provides the greatest protection against the flu, other effective ways to avoid the flu and COVID-19 include:

Washing hands frequently or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Covering coughs and sneezes with tissues, or coughing or sneezing into elbows
Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth
Staying home when sick and until fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication