The infection control department at Fairview Lakes Health ServicesÝannounced this week that Fairview has an adequate supply of influenza vaccine on hand. Staff has begun giving inoculations to patients who request them at Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming andÝFairview clinics at North Branch, Rush City, Lino Lakes, Hugo and Chisago City.

Shots are availableÝMonday through Friday during regular business hours. An appointment with a physician is not required. Calling ahead to your clinic may help minimize waiting time.

To make getting a flu shot even easier, a few special Ñflu clinics' have been planned at several Fairview locations:

At Wyoming

Beginning Oct. 23, Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming will host aÝfour-week flu shot clinic in its conference rooms from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, through Nov. 17. Shots for adults and children will beÝavailable.

On entering the medical center, please check in at Central Registration and then follow the signs directly to the conference rooms at the west end of the atrium where nursing staff will be offering flu inoculations throughout the day. Regular rates and insurance co-pays apply.

At North Branch

Fairview North Branch Clinic will offer special ìFlu Clinic Daysî from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on three days: Tuesday, Oct. 24, Thursday, Oct. 26 and Monday, Nov. 6. Clinic patients are urged to get their flu shots on those days if possible, however, flu vaccine can be given at any time. To minimize waiting in line at the flu shot clinics, patients are advised to call the clinic at (651) 674-8353 to schedule their shot.

At Rush City

Flu vaccine is available on a daily basis; however, a special flu clinic day also will be offered at Fairview Rush City Clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Again, to minimize waiting at the flu shot clinic, please call (320) 358-4784 to schedule a flu shot on that date.

At all clinics, patients who want the nasal-spray flu vaccine may want to call ahead to ensure an adequate supply is available. Flu vaccine will continue to be availableÝat all Fairview Lakes clinics as long as supplies last; however, after Nov. 17 the special walk-in flu clinic will no longer be offered at Wyoming.

October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but you can still get vaccinated in December and later. Flu season can begin as early as October and lasts as late as May.Ý

Vaccination against influenza is especially recommended for:

Persons age 65 years or older

Residents of long-term care facilities

Children aged 6-59 months

Persons aged 2-64 years with chronic health conditions

Pregnant women

Health care workers

Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children under six months of age.

Who should not be vaccinated

People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccination in the past, developed Guillan-BarrÈ syndrome (GBS) within six weeks of getting a previous flu vaccination, are sick with a fever, or are younger than six months old.