The Hamilton County Health Department will offer free flu shots to adults 18+ as part of the statewide, “Fight Flu TN” initiative. The event will take place Tuesday, November 9th from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. at Orchard Knob Baptist Church, 1734 East 3rd St. in Chattanooga.
Details
- No appointment is needed.
- Drive-thru and walk-up options available.
- Adults 18+ may participate.
- Free while supplies last.
- People will be asked to put on a face mask while in their vehicle.
“As we move into the flu season, we want to encourage all residents to stay safe and healthy by receiving their flu shot as soon as possible,” says Hamilton County Health Department Interim Administrator Sabrina Novak. “We are also excited to continue our partnership with Orchard Knob Baptist Church and thankful they are willing to serve as an event host this year.”
Getting your flu shot now can help lessen the burden on the healthcare system as COVID-19 continues to spread. Both the flu and COVID-19 viruses can be spread at the same time, and you can be infected with both simultaneously. In addition to getting the vaccine for both, it is important to continue wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing your hands.
Per the CDC, those at highest risk for serious complications from the flu include children under 5 years, adults 65 years and over, pregnant women, and those with preexisting medical conditions or a compromised immune system.
The CDC’s most recent estimates on the flu indicate that during the 2019-2020 flu season, approximately 35,000,000 people became sick with the flu, 380,000 were hospitalized and 20,000 individuals died. During the 2020-2021 season, the CDC noted an unusually low amount of flu activity, which was due in part to COVID-19 mitigation measures.
In addition to the “Fight Flu TN” event, flu shots are widely available at primary care offices, local pharmacies and with participating community partners. To find a flu shot near you, please visit https://www.vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.
Additional resources
- Call the Health Department’s hotline at 423-209-8383 if you have questions about COVID-19, flu, or the Fight Flu TN event.
- Visit the Health Department’s online vaccine calendar at vaccine.hamiltontn.gov to see where they are offering COVID-19 or flu vaccine events throughout the week.
- Both the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine can be administered simultaneously; however, the COVID-19 vaccine will not be administered at the Fight Flu TN event.