Free Drive-up Flu Shot Clinic in Arkansas

Spreading Disease Flu Shots

Via: Lajuntatribunedemocrat
On Friday, Dec. 14, the Otero County Health Department (OCHD) and multiple partner agencies will be having a drive-through flu vaccination clinic at the Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds in Rocky Ford. The vaccinations will be administered free of charge. "OCHD has done many mass vaccination clinics in the past, however, they have always been inside a building. We have never done a drive-through clinic before, so this will be a first for us," stated Rick Ritter, OCHD executive director and incident commander for the event.

Flu Shot Clinic Line

 OCHD was in the planning phase for a drive-through clinic when Pioneer Healthcare Center in Rocky Ford called and donated 130 doses of flu vaccine for a free community clinic. "We were not going to exercise our new plan until next year, but when Pioneer called and graciously donated the vaccine, I decided to use our drive-through vaccination plan to administer the donated doses from Pioneer, so we had to accelerate our planning process significantly," Ritter added. Later, Dr. James Satt of Harmony Health Center in Rocky Ford donated an additional 30 doses, bringing the total doses for vaccinations at the Friday clinic to 160. The shots will be for adults only, and will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Children can continue to receive their flu shots from their medical providers or any OCHD offices located in La Junta, Rocky Ford or Ordway.
 Susan Workman, OCHD Director of Nursing and Operations Section Chief for the event, said that "a drive-through clinic is a great way to contain a deadly new contagion, since potentially sick people are staying in their cars and not in a building spreading infection." Mike Moreno, who is in charge of traffic flow for the event, asks that "drivers be very aware of their surroundings, drive slowly, cautiously, courteously, and follow the directions of signs and of the attendants, who will have on brightly-colored vests."
Vaccine Exemption Forms