Burlington County Health Department Announces Flu Shot Thursdays for 2020 and Encourages All Residents to get Vaccinated

WESTAMPTON — With the coronavirus pandemic still active and the start of the seasonal flu season fast approaching, Burlington County health officials are stressing the importance for all residents to obtain a seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible.

The County Health Department will again offer seasonal flu vaccines to county residents every Thursday starting on September 24 through January at clinics throughout the county. Adult drive thru clinics will be held for adults and teenagers 13 years or older. Children’s Clinics will be for children age 6 months to 12 years old.

Signed consent forms will be required and residents are encouraged to print out and bring the completed form with them to the clinics. The form is available online at http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/355/Flu-Information.

While the flu vaccine will not protect residents from COVID-19, Health Department officials said it is more important than ever for people to get their flu shots this year due to the outbreak remaining active and overlapping with the seasonal flu and the danger that some residents could become infected with both.

The flu vaccine not only reduces your risk of illness but can prevent hospitalizations and deaths. Getting a flu shot also helps conserve potentially scarce health care resources during the still ongoing pandemic.

“While not as deadly or transmissible as COVID-19, influenza still sends at least 100,000 people to the hospital each year,” said Health Department Director Dr. Herbert Conaway. “Getting a flu shot also helps conserve potentially scarce health care resources during this pandemic.”

Those 65 years and older, children under two, and those with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of experiencing complications from the flu, but an annual seasonal flu shot is recommended for all residents aged six months and older by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It spreads between people and can cause mild to severe illness. In some cases, the flu can lead to death. In the United States, flu season occurs in the fall and winter. Seasonal flu activity usually peaks in January or February, but it can occur as early as October and as late as May. For the vaccine to provide full protection against the flu, it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body. Getting vaccinated early in the fall helps to reduce the chances residents may get the flu before the vaccine is able to provide full protection.

It can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between a bad cold and the flu, your primary care provider may be able to test you within the first few days of symptoms in order to determine if you have the flu or not. Symptoms of the flu include:

• A 100F or higher fever or feeling feverish
• A cough and/or sore throat
• A runny or stuffy nose
• Headaches and/or body aches
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea (most common in children)

The County Health Department accepts Medicare Part “B” to cover the cost for the seasonal flu vaccines. A donation of $15 for seasonal flu vaccine is recommended by those not covered by Medicare if residents can afford it.

For more information on the flu, please contact the Burlington County Health Department at 609-265-5533 or online at www.co.burlington.nj.us/health. You can also like us on Facebook. Additional information can be accessed online at www.cdc.gov/flu or www.flu.gov. The Burlington County Health Department’s Raphael Meadow Health Center is located at 15 Pioneer Blvd in Westampton, NJ within the county complex.

The schedule for all county residents is listed below. Remember children can only be vaccinated at children’s clinics.

2020-21 SEASONAL FLU CLINICS