Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center announced the second annual Drive Through Flu Shot event. Seasonal flu vaccinations will be given to residents 18 and older on Saturday, October 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the convenience of their car or truck.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most flu cases so far this fall are the H1N1 flu (sometimes called "swine flu"). While the seasonal flu vaccination will not guard against the H1N1 flu, there are still many reasons to get the protection, according to Rowgena Cain, ARNP and Infection Control/Employee Health officer at TLRMC.

“The CDC expects both the 2009 H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu to cause illness, hospital stays and deaths this season,” said Cain. “They recommend a yearly seasonal flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal influenza.”

According to the CDC, while there are many different flu viruses, the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three seasonal viruses that research suggests will be most common. Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 50 years and older. Seasonal flu vaccine also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from making them sick.

To take advantage of the Drive Through Flu shots, residents can enter the front of the TLRMC campus from the William Thomason Byway or Wallace Avenue. Signs and volunteers will direct vehicles to the overhang in front of the Cave-Bland Medical Complex. Nurses will meet people there and give them a seasonal flu shot as they sit in their vehicle. The flu shots cost $20 and can be paid with cash only.

“Over 140 people visited our Drive Through Flu Shot clinic in 2008,” said Bill Oldham, Director of Planning and Marketing for Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center. “We had several people comment about how much they appreciated the convenience of being able to get their flu shot while remaining in their car or truck. We’re looking forward to another great event this year.”