Free vaccinations offered in Augusta

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital, with financial support from the Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital Foundation, will be holding the annual free flu vaccination clinics again this year. More than 1,500 doses of vaccine (1,200 injectable doses and 300 intranasal doses) will be made available to anyone age 3 and above on a first-come, first-served basis at two separate clinics – one in El Dorado and the other in Augusta.

“We feel that offering the vaccinations at no cost in early November is extremely beneficial to a very large number of people, especially families with kids. By offering the vaccines at this time, immunity will be in place before the Thanksgiving holiday season when families gather together and travel, and should last throughout the entire flu season” said Janet Frey, Director of Infection Prevention.

The clinic in El Dorado will be held at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital on Saturday, Oct. 27  from 8:00 until 10 a.m., and the Augusta clinic will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 8:00 until 10 a.m. at the Augusta United Methodist Church. Because the clinics are on a first come,

first-served basis, there is usually a large line at the beginning of the clinics. However, Hospital

staff want you to understand that the line moves relatively quickly at both locations.

Vaccinations will be made available to persons three years old or older. Intranasal doses are

available again this year and will be made available to persons aged 3 – 49. SBA hopes large families

realize the benefits provided through the vaccine. Having one child home with the flu can put a great

financial and/or emotional strain on parents who then have to stay home from work, or make

arrangements for childcare. And, often times, the flu spreads throughout a family causing multiple

days off from work.

There are other groups who benefit by receiving the vaccine. Persons taking care of young

children or the elderly benefit by helping stop the spread of the flu virus. Also benefiting from the

vaccinations would be people working in high-density workplaces, such as large retail or grocery

stores, or people who are expecting visitors, or are expecting to travel for the holiday seasons.

“We hope that making these vaccinations available at no cost will help our community take

care of themselves and their families,” said Gayle Arnett, President and CEO of Susan B. Allen. “We

think it’s very important for us to make preventative care available to as many as possible. This

project has been well received by many people who might not have received the seasonal flu

vaccination over the past few years, and we feel this is a great benefit for everyone in the communities

we serve.”

The free flu vaccination clinics are a joint project between Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital

and the Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital Foundation. If you would like information about how you

might help the Hospital provide similar projects, please contact Mary Luebbert, Director of

Development, at 316-321-8741.

For more information about the influenza clinics, please contact Janet Frey, Infection

Prevention practitioner at 316-321-3300, or Gene Kimble, Director of Marketing at 316-322-4543.