At-Risk People Will Get Flu Shots ; Health Department Sets Up Clinic Wednesday at I-75 Expo Center
Knox County Health Department officials on Monday announced plans for a mass vaccination clinic Wednesday at I-75 Expo Center at Clinton Highway and Merchants Drive.
Beginning at 9 a.m., approximately 3,000 doses of flu vaccine will be given to high-risk patients only, on a first-come, first- served basis. To indicate they fall into one of the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “high-risk” categories, patients will each complete a “very simple form that’s designed to help the clinic flow very efficiently and, hopefully, very rapidly,” said Dr. Stephanie Hall, public health officer for Knox County.
The Health Department will close Wednesday to staff the clinic, which will last until 8 p.m. or until all shots are given, said Health Department Director Mark Jones. If vaccine remains at 8 p.m., Jones said, the clinic will reopen at 9 a.m. Thursday.
“We expect … that we will run out of vaccine before 8,” Jones said.
Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale urged healthy citizens to forgo shots and discouraged those who do need vaccine from “camping out” overnight, as has been common in other cities.
“That’s a good way to get sick, in my opinion,” Ragsdale said.
Those who come are encouraged to wear short-sleeved shirts under coats and may bring lawn chairs if they expect to wait outside, before Expo doors open. Drinks and “healthy” snacks will be provided to those waiting in line. Police will provide traffic control.
The Health Department has procured about 900 additional doses of vaccine to give to residents and staff of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes, and to hospital staff in direct patient care. These groups are asked not to come to Wednesday’s clinic.
The Health Department also expects to receive more vaccine — though the amount is still uncertain — from the CDC in “early December,” Jones said.
“We also expect to receive some FluMist (nasal vaccine, appropriate for use by ages 5-49) that we’re going to use for hospital staff,” he said.
Covenant Health is providing nurses to help staff the clinic, and the Knoxville Academy of Medicine Foundation has donated $15,000 to offset costs. The Foundation’s annual Free Flu Shot Saturday, which has raised more than $723,000 for the News Sentinel’s Empty Stocking Fund charity, was cancelled this year after failure to get vaccine. Those who wish to donate to the Empty Stocking Fund, which provides food and gifts for needy East Tennessee families during the winter holidays, can do so at Wednesday’s mass clinic.
“This is a tough time because we will not have enough vaccine for everybody in our community who needs it,” Ragsdale said, adding that Knoxvillians should “save those doses for the truly at-risk folks.”
“This is the heartbeat of our country, here in East Tennessee, and we’ll do the right thing and help as many people as we can,” he said.
Kristi L. Nelson may be reached at 865-342-6434. She is health writer for the News Sentinel.
WHO CAN GET THE FLU SHOT
* Adults older than 65.
* Children 6-23 months old.
* Pregnant women.
* People with underlying chronic medical conditions: heart disease, lung disease, asthma, kidney disease, metabolic diseases (such as diabetes), anemia or other blood disorder.
* People whose immune systems are weakened by HIV/AIDS or another immune system-affecting disease; long-term treatment with drugs such as steroids; cancer treatment with X-rays or drugs.
Source: Knox County Health Department
GETTING THE FLU SHOT
* Who: High-risk patients only
* What: Mass flu vaccination clinic
* When: Beginning 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25. Lines will probably form hours earlier. Clinic will run to 8 p.m. and reopen Thursday if vaccine remains, but that’s not expected.
* Where: I-75 Expo Center, Clinton Highway at Merchants Drive
* Wear: Short-sleeved shirt, to expedite process.
* Be prepared to: Fill out forms certifying you’re in a high- risk category; have a long wait; wait outside if you come very early.
* Info: 865-215-8FLU (8358).
OR
* If you are high-risk and live in a county surrounding Knox: Call your local health department for an appointment.