Sign up to get your flu shot in McHenry

McHenry County Department of Health joins the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in encouraging an annual flu shot for everyone age 6 months and older as first and most important step in protecting against this serious illness.

Appointments for shots for adults and children 9 or older can be made at (815) 334-4510 for all clinics or online at www.mcdh.info. The cost is $35; Medicaid and Medicare Part B accepted. The health department has purchased the quadrivalent vaccine, which includes the following four strains - two influenza A strains (California H1N1 and Texas H3N2) and two influenza B strains (Brisbane and Massachusetts).

Flu clinics that have been scheduled for:

• 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Algonquin Township Office, 3702 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

• 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Sage YMCA, 701 Manor Road in Crystal Lake.

Flu is a serious and contagious illness - even healthy people can get it. While there are many different flu viruses, the seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against the top three or four flu viruses that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season.

A flu shot protects not only you but those around you like pregnant women, young children, people with chronic health conditions (like asthma, diabetes, heart disease) and people 65 and older who are especially at risk for complications from the flu.

People should begin getting vaccinated soon after flu vaccine becomes available, ideally by October, to ensure that as many people as possible are protected before flu season begins. Simple ways to protect yourself also include covering your cough, washing your hands and staying home when sick.

For more information on protecting yourself from influenza, visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/index.htm.