Two Veteran Flu Clinics scheduled in Pinedale - Oct 25 & 26
October 5, 2018
PINEDALE, WYOMING — The Sheridan VA Health Care System, Casper Mobile Vet Center and Sublette County Veteran Services Office are partnering to provide a two-day opportunity for Veterans to receive their annual flu shots Oct. 25, from 2-7 p.m., and Oct. 26, from 7-10 a.m.
This event will take place in the parking lot of the Sublette County Veteran Services Office at 619 E. Hennick, next to the Pinedale Medical Clinic and Sublette County Public Health in Pinedale. The Mobile Vet Center will be in the parking lot for the event.
Veterans who are enrolled with the Sheridan VA Health Care System should bring their Veterans Health Identification Cards. Not enrolled? Enrollment specialists will be at the event to check eligibility, so Veterans who are interested in enrolling are invited to bring a photo ID and their DD-214.
Key facts about the flu vaccine, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Why should people get vaccinated against the flu?
Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu. Vaccination has been shown to have many benefits including reducing the risk of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and even the risk of flu-related death in children.
Why do I need a flu vaccine every year?
A flu vaccine is needed every season for two reasons. First, the body’s immune response from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccine is needed for optimal protection. Second, because flu viruses are constantly changing, the formulation of the flu vaccine is reviewed each year and updated as needed to keep up with changing flu viruses.
Does flu vaccine work right away?
No. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. That’s why it’s better to get vaccinated by the end of October, before the flu season really gets under way.
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