Annual vaccination and blood donation event set for Worth County

SYLVESTER — People, along with their pooches and feline friends, can get vaccinations on Oct. 3 during the 10th annual Worth County disaster drill and drive-through flu shot clinic.

The OneBlood bloodmobile will be on-site accepting blood donations during the event, which runs from 8:30 a.m-1 p.m. at the Worth County Agricultural Pavilion. Sylvester Animal Hospital will offer rabies vaccines at a reduced cost for pets, and their owners can get flu vaccinations.

Some 20 community agencies — the same ones that respond in the event of a disaster — coordinate the event, said Worth County Health Department Nurse Manager Gina Connell, one of the organizers of the disaster drill and drive-through clinic.

“(It’s) important because it helps the community’s first responders prepare, lets agencies test emergency plans and additionally gives residents a chance to get vaccinated against flu without the inconvenience of leaving their vehicles,” Connell said.

It takes an average of six minutes to drive through the flu clinic, she said. The disaster drill and clinic site are located at the intersection of Highway 313 and Rebecca Drive, next to the Worth County Public Works Office.

“We do this because in a real disaster, we would have to take care of our own county and our own community for at least the first 24 to 48 hours before help from other counties or agencies could arrive,” she said.

Residents can pick up forms before the drill at the county’s health department office at 1012 W. Franklin St. in Sylvester.

“Of course, for those who don’t have forms, forget them or need help filling them out, we have clinic helpers there to assist,” Connell said.

Flu shots cost $30 each, and acceptable forms of payment are cash, checks, Medicaid, Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna and Coventry United Health Care (State Health Benefit Plan only).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all people ages six months and older receive annual flu vaccinations before the end of October. The timing of the peak for flu season varies from year to year, but it generally is most active in fall and winter, according to the CDC.

Children up to age 8 years, who need two vaccinations, should receive the first dose as early as possible, health officials said.

Parents and caregivers of children under six months can protect infants by getting vaccinated themselves. Antibodies that provide protection develop about two weeks after vaccination.

For more information about the drive-through clinic in Worth County, call (229) 777-2150.

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