PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital offered five adult and one pediatric flu shot clinic during the month of October to help ensure community members had easy, free access to a flu shot. More than 1,000 adults and nearly 240 children took part in these opportunities.
“In a year when flu shots are more important than ever, we were thrilled to see high turnouts for these free clinics,” said Julie Tutt, RN, manager of quality and infection prevention at the hospital. “We were pleased to hear some people saying that this was the first time they were getting a flu shot, or the first time in many years to do so.”
A total of 1,005 adults took part in the adult drive-up clinics, getting a free regular or high dose shot without even needing to get out of their vehicle. Numbers by community clinics were: Presque Isle, 464 (total from two clinics); Caribou, 200; Fort Fairfield, 181; and Mars Hill, 160. A total of 233 children received their flu shots at Northern Light Pediatrics in Presque Isle.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of having your flu shot. It is the single most important thing you can do to try to prevent getting the flu,” Tutt said.
“With COVID-19 ramping back up, we want to do all we can to lessen the possibility of people getting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time, which could have some pretty dire results.”
For those who have not yet had a flu shot, it is not too late.
“While our free flu shot clinics have ended for the season, community members can still get a flu shot from their primary care office or from one of the local retail pharmacies,” says Tutt.
Tutt reminds people that other steps to lessen chances of getting the flu are the same steps that are protecting us from COVID-19: using proper hand hygiene, staying six feet apart, wearing a mask, and staying home when you are not feeling well.
