OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The pandemic has left healthcare workers with more questions than answers regarding this year’s flu season.
“We really don’t know what to expect with the flu season this year. Last year because of masks, social distancing, people working from home, no large gatherings – we didn’t really see any flu season, so we don’t even know how effective the flu shots were last year,” CHI Health family physician Carlos Prendes said. “This year, all bets are off. Families are going to want to get together, people are back at work, people are wearing masks, not wearing masks.”
CHI Health is making flu shots available to the community in a very convenient way. Starting Saturday, September 25th and throughout the month of October, they will be holding drive-up flu shot clinics at one of their seven local locations every Saturday morning.
Saturday it was in Millard from 8 a.m. to noon.
“I thought this was a great idea. Super convenient,” patient Brent Flemmer said. “I just called ahead and got any time that I wanted to, and I just roll up, and on my way in minutes.”
“You come up, you show us your arm, we give you the shot and then you go home,” Prendes said.
A quick and simple way to keep you and your family safe.
“Protecting yourself from the flu is really, really good,” Flemmer said. “I have kids and a wife at home and want to keep them safe, along with older parents. I want to keep myself healthy and everyone safe around me.”
“Anyone six months and up should get a flu shot. Folks who are particularly at high risk are children, pregnant women, folks with chronic medical problems; but the flu shot is the best thing we have to protect against getting the flu,” Prendes said. “Even if it’s not going to keep you from getting the flu, you may not get as sick.”
Getting the flu shot to as many people as possible is also a way to take some stress off of healthcare workers.
“We’re all exhausted. We’re tired of flu, we’re tired of COVID, we’re tired of everybody getting sick,” Prendes said. “We’re tired of the emergency rooms being full, the hospitals being full. The best thing we can do is take every step that we can to protect ourselves.”
You can show up the day of and fill out paperwork to get your shot, but CHI Health prefers that you make an appointment and fill out your paperwork online ahead of time.
Click here to make an appointment and check the location schedule.
