The Oklahoma Eagle

Tulsa Health Department Offering Free Flu Vaccine  The Tulsa Health Department will offer free flu vaccinations beginning November 3rd for individuals over 6 months of age at the area clinics listed below. Please note that all clinics will be closed on Tuesday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day. In addition to walk-in and appointment-based clinics, individuals 60 & over or those with a handicapped sticker in their car can receive a free flu immunization in a drive-thru setting on Friday, November 7, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the James O. Goodwin Health Center located at 5051 S. 129th E. Avenue. Buses and vans are welcome.
Drive-thru clinic participants are asked to:
• Leave pets at home
• Bring Medicare or Medicaid card if applicable
• Wear short sleeves
Due to the drive-thru clinic event all other clinics will be closed on Friday, November 7t, except the Expo Square location, which will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 7. Free flu vaccines will be available beginning November 3, for individuals over the age of 6 months on a walk-in basis at the following locations:
Central Regional Health Center, 315 South Utica
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Friday Expo Square Health Center, 4616 East 15th Street
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Friday James O. Goodwin Health Center, 5051 S. 129th E. Avenue
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Friday
The following locations are offering free flu vaccinations beginning the week of November 3, to individuals over the age of 6 months by appointment.
Collinsville Health Center located at 1201 West Center in Collinsville. Flu shots will be administered Monday - Friday. Please call 596-8650 to schedule an appointment.
Sand Springs Health Center located at 306 East Broadway in Sand Springs. Flu shots will be administered Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., on a walk-in basis for the month of November. The clinic will be closed on November 4, November 7, and
November 11. Please call 591-6100 for information.
Bixby Health Center located at 8120 East 126th Street in Bixby will offer free flu shots on Tuesdays by appointment only. Please call 369-3155 to schedule an appointment. The Tulsa Health Department will be able to provide over 30,000 free flu vaccinations for the 2009-2010 influenza season.
Healthy individuals between the ages of 2-49 will have the added option of receiving a free nasal-spray flu vaccine if they choose. All individuals over the age of six months who want to protect themselves from the flu are encouraged to get vaccinated this year, however, certain groups are at higher risk of having complications from the flu.
They are:
• persons aged 50 years and older, with and without chronic health conditions
• residents of long-term care facilities
• persons aged 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions
• children aged 6- 59  months
• pregnant women
• health-care personnel who provide direct patient care
• household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children aged 6 months or younger When possible, the best protection against the flu is to get vaccinated. However, we recommend these additional habits for good health.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand cleaner when you can’t wash your hands.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick as much as possible.
• If you get the flu, stay home to avoid spreading it.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, as germs can enter your system this way.

For more information and vaccine availability updates throughout the flu season please visit www.tulsa-health.org or call 918-595-4500.