Minneapolis VA Health Care System
2010 Flu Shots Arrive at Minneapolis VA Health Care System
September 21, 2010
The Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System (VAHCS) and its Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin has received the 2010/2011 Influenza Vaccine.
Patients may request the flu shot at their next regular scheduled clinic appointment. Veterans and non-veterans may also receive the flu shot at the walk in clinic which will be set up in the flag atrium of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center on October 18th thru October 22nd from 8:00am – 3:30pm.
Minnesota Visiting Nurses will again be available during the walk in clinic to give shots to non-veterans for $26.
According to the Center for Disease Control, all people 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine. Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of severe influenza and their close contacts, including healthcare personnel and close contacts of children younger than 6 months. Also, people who got the 2009 H1N1 (pandemic) influenza vaccine, or had pandemic flu in 2009, should still get the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine.
The CDC also states that infants, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions – such as heart, lung or kidney disease or a weakened immune system – can get much sicker from the flu than health people. Flu can cause high fever and pneumonia, and make existing medical conditions worse. It can cause diarrhea and seizures in children. Each year thousands of people die from seasonal influenza and even more require hospitalization.
By getting vaccinated you can protect yourself from influenza and may also avoid spreading influenza to others.
Keep up to date on the flu shots and walk in clinics at www.minneapolis.va.gov.
For more information on the seasonal flu, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/flu.
