Health department hosting flu shot clinic in Renton this weekend

Health experts recommend flu vaccine for all people six months and older, especially for pregnant women and people who have long-term health problems, like diabetes, asthma, and heart or lung problems.

October 30, 2013 1:41 pm

Public Health – Seattle & King County is offering free flu vaccination clinics on Saturday, Nov. 2, to make flu vaccine more widely available to people without health insurance or who are unable to pay.

One of the clinics is scheduled for Renton.

“Flu vaccine offers the single best protection against the flu,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Chief of Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization for Public Health – Seattle & King County, in a press release. “Getting vaccinated is especially important for pregnant women, people in contact with infants who are too young to vaccinate, and also to people with health conditions that put them at greater risk for severe illness and hospitalization.”

Health experts recommend flu vaccine for all people six months and older, especially for pregnant women and people who have long-term health problems, like diabetes, asthma, and heart or lung problems. Anyone who lives with or cares for an infant younger than six months should also get vaccinated to protect the infant from getting flu.

There are four free flu vaccination clinics being held at Public Health Centers at the following locations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Saturday, Nov. 2, including the Renton Public Health Center, 3001 N.E. 4th St., Renton. For more information, call 206-296-4700.

Other sites hosting clinics are:

• Columbia Public Health Center, 4400 37th Ave. S., Seattle, 206-296-4650;

• Eastgate Public Health Center, 14350 S.E. Eastgate Way, Bellevue, 206-296-4920; and

• Federal Way Public Health Center, 33431 13th Place S., Federal Way, 206-296-8410.

Flu vaccinations will be given to people who do not have insurance or cannot afford to pay. No other vaccinations will be offered at the time of the clinics. Flu shots and a limited number of nasal spray, preservative-free, gelatin-free, and latex-free vaccines will be available.

Flu vaccine (shots and nasal spray) is also available at many healthcare provider offices and pharmacies for those who have insurance or are able to pay for vaccination. Visit http://flushot.healthmap.org to help find locations.

For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/health/flu.