Health

Flu Shots for All and Staying Healthy

By Marilyn Clark, League City Area News Online

January 28, 2005 update

(Staying healthy - October 26, 2004)

The Galveston County Health District is now making flu shots available to EVERYONE (adults, teenagers and young people) over 6 months old.

Dr. Mark Guidry of the Galveston County Health Authority said, “It is not too late for anybody to receive a flu vaccination and protect themselves from this sometimes very serious illness. A person develops full protection approximately two weeks after receiving a shot and with a flu season that officially runs through May there is still time to get one.”

“Flu is not a reportable condition in the state of Texas but there have been laboratory confirmed cases of flu in Galveston County,”The District’s Public Information Office Koopmann shared, “The good news is that the strains of flu identified so far in Texas are covered by this season’s vaccine.”

Flu shots may be obtained at one of the GCHD's walk-in clinics at the following times and locations:

"Texas City Immunization Clinic (Located in the Texas City Community Family Center)
2000 Texas Avenue, Texas City, (409) 949-3459
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Galveston Immunization Clinic (Located in the Island Community Center)
4700 Broadway, Galveston, (409) 763-7227
Monday: 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Dickinson Immunization Clinic
905 Pine Drive, Dickinson, (281) 337-4043
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. – 4 p.m."

The charge is $16. The shots are free for those who have Medicare Part B insurance and children who are eligible for the Vaccines for Children program.

Staying Healthy

"You can still protect yourself from the flu even if you are not vaccinated ... this flu season," said Dr. Mark Guidry of the Galveston County Health District. "By following these simple recommendations a person can greatly reduce their risk of acquiring the flu, or spreading it to others."

Avoid close contact – Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
Stay home when you are sick – If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
Cover your mouth and nose – Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
Clean your hands – Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth – Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth (http://www.gchd.org/).

Sources: Galveston County Health District and web site, online available at http://www.gchd.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, online available at http://www.cdc.gov/
and http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm

Updated on October 29, 2004

Image Source: Public Health Image Library at the Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta, GA., PHIL ID# 5253, photographer - James Gathany
(Pascale Krumm, a CDC Writer/Editor receives a flu vaccine from CDC Staff Nurse, Mollie McDonald-Waldron)

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