DCHHS Offers Flu Vaccine

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) is offering the seasonal flu vaccine for adults at the main clinic on Stemmons Freeway beginning Sept. 6, 2016. The cost is $20. If the adult is covered by Medicare, the vaccine is free. DCHHS is awaiting shipment of the children’s vaccine.

“Now is the time for everyone to get their flu shot while it is early in the season,” said DCHHS Director Zachary Thompson. “In addition to getting the flu shot, we are encouraging everyone to practice flu prevention recommendations as well.”

Those recommendations include cough and sneeze etiquette along with proper hand-washing. DCHHS has flu prevention materials on its website available for the public to download.

Thompson added DCHHS is following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to begin offering the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available in the community. CDC recommends the flu vaccine as the best means of flu prevention for almost everyone except children younger than 6 months of age.

The flu vaccine DCHHS provides is an all-in-one shot that protects against multiple flu strains including the H1N1 virus.

DCHHS Medical Director/Health Authority Dr. Christopher Perkins encourages parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible.

“It takes about two weeks for the body to develop the antibodies needed to provide protection against the flu virus,” Dr. Perkins said. “That’s why we are encouraging everyone to get the flu vaccine as soon as possible, so they’re protected early in the flu season.”

The flu vaccine is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 214-819-2162.