"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokee Nation Hastings Hospital

It’s flu shot time again. Cherokee Nation Hastings Hospital will be offering a drive-thru flu shot clinic for established patients November 3-7 in Tahlequah.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - Cherokee Nation Hastings Hospital will be offering drive-thru flu vaccines for adults and children beginning Monday, November 3 through Friday, November 7. The drive-thru clinic will begin at 7 a.m. each morning and will run nonstop until 4 p.m. on Monday, 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 12 noon on Friday.

“This will be our third year to do this clinic,” said Kathy Coons, Associate Chief Nurse Executive for Cherokee Nation Hastings Hospital. “The patients really seem to appreciate it and our staff here at the hospital enjoys being a part of it.”

Those participating in the clinic will need to have a chart number already established at the hospital. Participants will drive up to the site and provide registration with the names of those in the vehicle participating. After the participants answer a few screening questions, they will be directed to one of the stations set up for the vaccine. This year’s clinic will offer the flu vaccine injection for youth and adults, the flu mist for young children, and the pneumonia vaccine for adults who qualify.

Last year, more than 2,200 individuals took advantage of the clinic. This year the clinic will include an extra day in hopes even more people will take advantage of the service.

“Getting the flu shot not only helps prevent you from getting the flu, but also protects others around you, especially people who are susceptible to illness such as children, the elderly and those with chronic diseases,” Coons said.

The Center for Disease Control advises anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu get vaccinated, and they recommend those who are at high risk of having serious flu complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications get the vaccine, including children, pregnant women, people 50 years of age and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, people who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and people who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu. There are also those who should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician, including people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, people who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination, children less than 6 months of age and people who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever. The ability of flu vaccine to protect a person depends on the age and health status of the person getting the vaccine, and the similarity between the virus strains in the vaccine and those in circulation. Testing has shown that both the flu shot and the nasal-spray vaccine are effective at preventing the flu.