These vaccinations will be offered Monday through Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. at 825 N. McDonald Street in McKinney.  Both Medicare Part B and Medicaid will be accepted. 

 For those without Medicare Part B or Medicaid, the flu shot for an adult is $20 and for children the cost ranges from $0 to $14 depending on income.  However, no child will be turned away.  To determine the availability of the flu vaccines on any given day, please call our clinic at 972-548-5500.

When it comes to the flu, some in our community are considered at high risk. This group includes:
•  Adults 65 or over;
• Children 6-23 months;
• Children 2 years of age or older who live with one or more children less than 6 months old;
• Adults and children with other long-term health problems;
• Pregnant women;
• Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities;
• Health care workers; and,
• People who live with or care for children less than six months of age.

There are also some people who should not be vaccinated without first consulting with their physician.  They include:
• People with a severe allergy to chicken eggs;
• Those who have had a severe reaction to flu shots in the past;
• Anyone with an allergy to Thimerosol;
• Those who have a fever; and,
• Children less than 6 months old.

Collin County recently was awarded a $707,309 grant from the U.S. Center for Disease Control to address the H1N1 - or swine flu -- vaccinations.  These vaccinations should be available by mid-October.  The primary focus of the grant is to increase availability to people who are considered high risk, such as those listed above. When available, this vaccination will be provided free of charge.

Even with the vaccines, the best way to prevent any strain of flu is to develop good health habits.  For example:
• Washing your hands sounds so basic, but over 20 infectious agents can be avoided by doing this;
• If you are sick, say at home!  One school has already closed for a day due to sickness;
• When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue.  If a tissue is not available sneeze into your elbow to avoid contaminating your hands; and,
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth-especially after shaking hands.

In preparation for the flu season Collin County's Homeland Security Department will establish a flu surveillance system.  This will allow both situational awareness and easy calculations of school absenteeism on a daily basis, district-wide, for school nurse coordinators, superintendents and public health officials. 

2-1-1 is the local access point for all calls related to H1N1 (general and medical inquires).  An Information Call Specialist will be responsible for responding to inquires from the general public regarding to the following:
•  Location of vaccine clinics
• Providing general information about symptoms of H1N1
• Dispelling any myths
• Providing possible school closure information

Also, for more information on this year's influenza season the Center for Disease Control has a weekly update that can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/.