Salinas Valley Health Hosting Free Community Flu Clinic

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

Salinas Valley Health (Salinas Valley Health) is once again partnering with the Monterey County Health Department to offer free flu vaccines to families who haven’t received the vaccine. This is the third free flu clinic hosted by Salinas Valley Health this season.

“The free flu clinics this season have been a huge success,” says Pete Delgado, President/CEO of Salinas Valley Health. “Flu activity peaks between December and March and we want families in our community to be prepared and to remain healthy. We don’t want anyone to go unprotected.”

The Californian Department of Public Health reports one person under the age of 65 recently died from flu related complications and eleven people statewide have required treatment in an intensive care unit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports fewer than half of Americans get an annual flu immunization, even though the agency reports on average, flu kills about 24,000 people each year in the United States.

The free flu clinic will provide traditional shots as the most effective vaccine. In addition to the flu vaccine, limited doses of the Tdap vaccine will also be made available to the public for free. Tdap helps protect adults and adolescents against three diseases – tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis commonly known as whooping cough. The CDC recommends a single dose of Tdap vaccine for people ages 11 and older who have not previously received Tdap. The CDC is not recommending the use of the FluMist for the upcoming flu season.

The free flu clinic will take place Sunday, January 15th between 11am and 2pm. The walk-up clinic will be located in the parking lot in front of Salinas Valley Health Medical Center at 450 East Romie Lane in Salinas, corner of Wilgart Way and East Romie Lane. Free valet parking is located in the parking garage adjacent to the clinic.

Registered nurses from Salinas Valley Health will be administrating the free vaccines on a first come, first serve basis and quantities are limited. Previous flu clinics this season took place at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center in October and in November at the Salinas Valley Health Taylor Farms Family Health & Wellness Center in Gonzales. You can find more information on the January flu clinic at svmh.com/flu or call 831-757- 3627.