NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It's time once again to get your flu shot for this season.
"Prevention is much better than actually getting a virus," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "That's why we offer that flu shot every single year. They study what is circulating in the southern hemisphere, and then we try to work on getting the flu virus that's going to match that, and then we get that out to all the people."
The flu vaccine is going to be different this year, with three major strains down from four in previous years.
"You can get a flu shot absolutely anywhere nowadays," Hammersmith said. "Any of the pharmacies carry it, Medicine Shoppe, Walgreens, Walmart, Hutch Clinic, Prairie Star, the Reno County Health Department, we all carry flu shots. It's very, very effective and we want to get it to absolutely anybody. We offer it through those that don't have insurance and to those that do as well, but we do have some that if you are uninsured, we can get you that vaccine at a very low cost where other people can't do that when they're for profit, but we want everyone to get a flu vaccine."
If you don't have insurance and plan to get your vaccine from the health department, call ahead.
"It is very helpful because we could run out of the vaccines that we have on hand," We get a very limited number of those that are free to clients. Yes, if they could call and make an appointment, that would be the best thing."
Call (620) 694-2900 to make an appointment.