Video by Katie Smith/CNS-TV
BALTIMORE– The H1N1 panic may have passed, but Baltimore County is staying on the offensive by issuing free flu shots to residents. Everyone over six months of age is encouraged to receive a vaccine.
The Baltimore County Health Department partnered with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Friday at a Seasonal Flu Vaccination Clinic ‘Tip-Off” at the Drumcastle Government Center, the first of three free flu shot clinics this fall.
Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz offered tips for staying healthy, emphasizing the importance of hand sanitizer for children and adults alike. Still, he said, flu shots remain the easiest way to keep oneself from getting sick. Kamenetz got vaccinated shortly after his remarks.
By 10:30, 200 flu shots had already been administered. Although it was raining, the event brought in drivers on the way to work and those who had never received a flu shot before.
Lois Stickles was on her way to work when she saw the signs. She said she normally goes to see her doctor to get a flu shot; this time, she got one for free.
“It was very well-administered, very easy. People were knowledgeable,” Stickles said.
Frances Phillips, the Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, urged residents to inoculate themselves. Around 1,000 Marylanders die each year of influenza, she said.
For more information on upcoming flu clinics, visit http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/health/.