DRIVE-THROUGH FLU SHOT clinic NEWS and PHOTO OP
Minnesotans urged to get flu shots to help avoid a “twindemic”. Health Fair 11, UCare, and Hennepin Healthcare join forces to offer vaccination clinics.
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
| WHAT: | Flu Fighter Clinics located on the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair. | |
| WHY: | Communities across the country are facing a potential medical “twindemic” this fall. The co-occurrence of COVID-19 and influenza outbreaks is a recipe for a public health disaster. Medical experts from the National Institute of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Minnesota Department of Health, UCare and Hennepin Healthcare agree it’s more important than ever to get protected from the flu. In response, Health Fair 11 is coordinating three days of public Flu Fighter Clinics at a convenient location this fall. Nurses with Hennepin Healthcare will administer flu shots to people age six months and older. Vaccinations will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. The clinics will use a drive-through format to ensure social distancing. Influenza and COVID-19 share many of the same early symptoms – coughs, fever and body aches. As people get ill this fall, health care professionals will be asking if patients have received a seasonal flu shot. The patient’s answer will help clinicians assess and diagnose patients more effectively. This will allow them to manage limited quantities of COVID-19 tests more responsibly. | |
| WHERE: | MN State Fairgrounds – enter via Snelling Avenue/Gate 5. | |
| WHEN: | Friday – Sunday, September 25 – 27, 9 am – 3 pm Gate 5 opens at 8:45 am |
DETAILS:
- Flu shots will be given on a first come, first served basis with 1,000 vaccinations available each day.
- Flu shots will be administered by nurses with Hennepin Healthcare’s Worksite Wellness program.
- Nurses will vaccinate ages 6 months and older.
- Two types of flu vaccine are available: Quadrivalent vaccine for people between 6 months-64 years and High Dose vaccine for people age 65 and older. (Vaccine Information Statement) FluMist® nasal spray is NOT offered.
- People should bring their insurance cards. They will need information printed on their insurance card for completing paperwork. Flu shots will be billed to their insurance. People who prefer to pay cash should bring exact change: $39 Quadrivalent / $70 High Dose.
- Hennepin Healthcare can bill to any insurance provider. However, it is the patients’ responsibility to check if Hennepin Healthcare is a covered provider under their plan. If someone is uninsured, they will receive a free flu shot through the MnVFC (Minnesota Vaccine for Children) or UUAV (Uninsured and Underinsured Adult Vaccine) state program.
- Attendees must stay inside their cars. People will not be allowed to walk around the fairgrounds.
- Face masks are required for all people over age 5.
- No public restrooms are available.
- People arriving via public transportation will be vaccinated in a walk-up tent located just inside the Snelling Avenue/Gate 5 entrance. (map)
More information is available at www.kare11.com/healthfair.
Flu Fighter Clinics sponsors:
Health Fair 11 (www.HealthFair11.org) is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) with a vision of creating healthier communities through collaborative outreach. Sponsors include KARE 11 TV and UCare. Health Fair 11’s Flu Fighter Clinics are made possible with additional support from Hennepin Healthcare and the Minnesota State Fair.
UCare (www.ucare.org) is an independent, nonprofit health plan providing health care and administrative services to 500,000 members in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. UCare partners with health care providers, counties and community organizations to create and deliver innovative Medicare and Medicaid programs, and plans for Minnesotans shopping on MNSure.
KARE 11 (www.kare11.com) has been providing news, weather, and community connections to Minnesota and western Wisconsin since 1949 --- first as WTCN and now as KARE 11. The station is owned by TEGNA, Inc., an innovate media company that serves the greater good of its communities.