ELLINWOOD— Barton County Health Department will be providing a special Vote and Vax Flu Clinic on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at the St. Joseph Parish Center in Ellinwood from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Area residents will be able to get their flu shot and take the opportunity to vote in the general election at the same location and the same time.

This special clinic is a POD (Point of Distribution) exercise or practice for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and will involve the staff of the health department, public health volunteers, law enforcement, and emergency management for Ellinwood. All of the components of a public health emergency exercise will be included.

The flu clinic is for everyone ages 6 months and older who is healthy and has no contraindications for the flu vaccine. Cost for the flu shot is $22 or Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Medicaid, or Medicare assignment.

In addition pneumonia vaccine for adults will be available for those who need it. Current Centers for Disease Control recommendations are that in most cases only one pneumonia vaccine is needed. But if a person has had a pneumonia shot prior to age 65, then they should get one shot after age 65 and five years after the first pneumonia shot. Cost is $73 or Medicare assignment.

We urge Ellinwood and area residents to take advantage of this special clinic and get their flu vaccine to help prevent influenza during the 2010-2011 flu season. Our county-wide goal is to have residents protected by Nov. 15 before the holiday season begins.

For more information contact Barton County Health Department at 620-793-1902 or at 1300 Kansas Avenue, Great Bend, KS, or see our website at www.bartoncounty.org/Health.