By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu season typically peaks between December and February. That makes early fall a perfect time to get the flu vaccine. Barton County Health Department Nurse Supervisor Lindsey Ensley said the department will host a drive-thru flu clinic on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 1300 Kansas Ave. in Great Bend.
"The entrance will be off Lakin into our parking lot," she said. "We're going to have two lanes so going westbound on Lakin is how they will get in line. We're starting at 10 a.m. and we'll go until 1 p.m."
Health department staff will take insurance information from patients, or there will be a fee for the vaccination for patients without insurance. The health department is offering a standard vaccine and a high-dose vaccine. Paperwork can be printed ahead of time or picked up at the facility on Saturday.
"They can go on the Barton County website," Ensley said. "There's an outreach form they can print and fill out. Basically, they're demographic information, there are 12 health questions they have to answer, then signatures, of course. We will have plenty of those at the drive-thru as well but they can go on the Barton County site beforehand if they want to."
The CDC projects manufacturers will supply the United States with between 156 and 170 million doses of flu vaccine for the 2023-24 season. CLICK HERE for the outreach form to take to Saturday's clinic.