West Chicago organizations work together to offer free flu clinics
The COVID-19 pandemic has made getting a flu shot more important than ever.
Healthy West Chicago has brought together a number of community and national partners in an effort to provide flu vaccinations for West Chicago residents.
We Go Together for Kids, St. Andrew Lutheran Church-West Chicago, Jewel-Osco, Walgreens, Northwestern Medicine, Access DuPage, Wayne Township Food Pantry, and the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention are joining the nationwide flu vaccination campaign, the Race to 200M, in partnership with the American Nurses Association.
The campaign aims to ignite urgency around flu vaccination, especially among the 200 million Americans at most risk for the complications of flu.
With the convergence of COVID-19 and flu season, the CDC reports that getting a flu shot is critical and necessary to protect ourselves, those we love, and our communities - especially people at highest risk of flu complications, namely the approximately 200 million Americans over the age of 50 or who have chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma.
The flu is more than just a bad cold; it is a serious respiratory illness.
"Even if you don't have a chronic disease or special risk factors for flu, it is important to protect yourself and others by getting a flu shot this year," said Healthy West Chicago Director Carly Smitherman "By getting a flu shot now, you are prioritizing good health and limiting potential burdens on our health care system."
West Chicago area residents can find more information on local resources, such as free drive-through flu vaccine clinics including two at St. Andrews Lutheran Church on Friday, Nov. 13, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 14, from 8 to 11 a.m. for people age 3 to 64. Visit www.healthywestchicago.org/resources.
There is no appointment needed for the flu shot clinics in West Chicago.
Flu shots are free, there is no charge for the uninsured. There is no co-pay or deductible for the insured.