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The Tulsa Health Department is offering seasonal flu shots by appointment at four Tulsa area locations, including Sand Springs Health Center.
New this year is a high-dose vaccine recommended for everyone age 65 and older.
The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age.
Health officials remind residents that getting a flu shot every year is the single best way to prevent the flu. The vaccine can reduce your chances of getting the flu, make it less severe if you do get it, and prevent you from spreading the virus to other people.
The more people who get vaccinated, the more people are protected against the flu, including the elderly, very young children, pregnant women, and those with certain long-term health conditions who are at risk of serious flu complications.
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“We want everyone to do what they can to prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths in Tulsa County,” said Priscilla Haynes, chief of the Tulsa Health Department’s Preventive Health Division.
“Last flu season, Tulsa County residents experienced 266 flu-related hospitalizations and 2 flu-related deaths,” he said in a press release. “Taking steps to prevent the flu allows our health care systems to focus their efforts and have the space to treat all illnesses, including COVID-19.”
The quadrivalent flu vaccine is available by appointment at these Tulsa Health Department locations.
• Sand Springs Health Center, 306 E. Broadway St.
• Central Regional Health Center, 315 S. Utica Ave. in Tulsa
• North Regional Health and Wellness Center, 5635 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Tulsa
• James O. Goodwin Health Center, 5051 S. 129th East Ave. in Tulsa
Call 918-582-9355 or go online tulsa-health.org/flu To make an appointment at any place. Masks are required to be worn by clients seeking clinical services.
Flu shots can be given at the same time as any dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Like any medical product, vaccines can cause side effects. The side effects of the flu vaccine are generally mild and go away on their own within a few days.
Most people do not have to pay out-of-pocket for the vaccine. The following options are available:
People 18 and younger are eligible to receive vaccinations at no cost through the Vaccines for Children program if they are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, Native American or Alaska Native, or if their insurance policy does not cover immunizations.
The Tulsa Health Department accepts Medicare and SoonerCare Medicaid, Cigna, Community Care, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Health Choice for immunizations.
Coverage may vary among different insurance plans. Bring any insurance card and photo ID to the appointment.
A standard flu shot costs $25. High-dose flu shots cost $63.
The cost of a regular flu vaccine may qualify uninsured adults.
In addition to getting a flu shot, the Tulsa Health Department offers these prevention tips:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially if you have been in a crowded place or after blowing your nose, sneezing, or coughing. If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Outside your home, keep a distance of 6 feet between yourself and people who do not live in your household.
• Wear a mask in public during times of high community levels of Covid-19, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, according to CDC’s Covid data tracker.
• Stay home from work, school and other public places if you are sick. Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Practice “respiratory hygiene” including using and then removing tissues to cover coughs and sneezes and washing your hands at the same time. When tissues are not readily available, use your sleeves, never your hands.
• Daily cleaning and sanitizing of frequently touched areas.
• Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other signs of respiratory illness and take your temperature if symptoms appear. If you experience symptoms, call your healthcare provider for advice.
For more information, call 918-582-9355 or go online tulsa-health.org/flu.
Osage County: For information about getting a flu shot in Osage County, call the Osage County Health Department at 918-287-3740.
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