Health officials recommend getting your yearly flu vaccine anytime now through the end of October.
Doing so can give you some of the best protection against the virus during peak activity—which usually comes between December and February but can last well into May.
“We really encourage the flu vaccine because it can be a very serious illness, and vaccinating yourself protects all of those around you as well, and keeps the spread down,” said Jen Tienhaara, a public health nurse at the Oneida County Health Department. “It keeps you strong to fight the flu, so hopefully keeping you out of the hospital and away from serious illness.”
Nearly 7,000 people were hospitalized in Wisconsin last year because of influenza, according to state DHS data.
The Oneida County Health Department offers the vaccine to walk-ins at the health department in Rhinelander, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Starting later this month, nurses will also be holding walk-in clinics in communities all across the county.
“Some people don't have time to come here. We do still take appointments. They don't have time to make an appointment. They don't have time to do the walk-in downstairs, but we have one, maybe that's down the street from where they work, and then they can run at lunch or something,”: said Tienhaara. “We really try to meet the community members where they're at and make the vaccines convenient for them.”
You can find more information about these clinics on the health department’s website or Facebook page.
The Oneida County Health Department is also offering the updated COVID vaccine for those who are 65 and older.
Melissa Bryner is the public health nurse, immunization coordinator for the health department.
“We know that insurances will pay for 65 and older for those individuals, because they were and are the ones that are most impacted with covid,” said Byrner. “We are going to start vaccinating those individuals starting Monday, and then hopefully be able to vaccinate the 64 and younger.”
Bryner encourages people to ask if they have questions about any vaccine.
In addition to the community walk-ins clinic the health department also goes into business as well as going to people who are homebound. People who are homebound and want to get vaccinated can call the health department at, 715-369-6111, to schedule an appointment.
