KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Public Health - Seattle & King County is expanding public access to flu vaccine in King County by offering public flu clinics by appointment at nine of its Public Health centers. Two other health organizations have already announced that they are starting public flu shot clinics this week.
Public Health recommends that at-risk adults first call their personal health care providers to see whether they have vaccine. If their personal health care providers do not have vaccine, then individuals may access one of the public flu shot clinics by calling the Flu Hotline at 206-296-1100.
Tomorrow, Public Health will begin staffing its Flu Hotline at 206-296-1100 from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to provide information to King County residents on where they may go to receive a flu shot. Flu vaccinations at Public Health centers will be by appointment only.
Also, individuals may call or visit the web sites of two health organizations offering flu shots in different parts of King County:
For children, families should check with their health care provider or the Flu Hotline about availability of child vaccine and to schedule appointments. This year all doses from the Vaccine for Children program will go to children in the high-risk categories.
Visit Public Health flu season web pages at www.metrokc.gov/health/immunization/fluseason.htm for complete and updated information on the flu season, the high-risk groups that are eligible for the flu shot this flu season, information on FluMist (intranasal vaccine for certain healthy individuals), and other ways to stay healthy during the flu season, such as by washing hands and covering coughs.
Earlier this week, Public Health announced its plan to distribute a total of 60,000 doses, 38,000 of which came from the national distribution of the last remaining vaccine. Vaccine will be delivered to King County through January. Vaccine is being distributed to: nursing homes and long-term care facilities; health organizations that hold public flu clinics; medical organizations including hospitals and physician practices; safety net providers, including community and public health clinics; and hospitals, for health-care workers seeing high-risk patients.
