Two New Hanover County Commissioners rolled up their sleeves after an Oct. 20 meeting adjourned, when public health nurses vaccinated Chairman Woody White and Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.
Vice chair Beth Dawson and Commissioner Tom Wolfe had already received flu shots.
County Manager Chris Coudriet, who invited New Hanover County Health Department officials to update and vaccinate the board, was also vaccinated for the first time. He said he arranged the visit as an opportunity for the board to lead by example.
“When they step forward and acknowledge that they’ve had the shot, that they’re willing to take the shot, that models the kind of example they want to set,” Coudriet said.
Coudriet said he was also motivated by the release of the quadrivalent flu vaccine, which protects against four strains of the virus that commonly circulate during flu season, compared to other vaccines that protect against three strains.
Carla Turner, county personal health services manager, and Page Dunn, county public health nurse supervisor, gave a brief update on the health department’s flu vaccination efforts.
Through the flu clinic held in the health department auditorium and outreach at county schools and businesses, the health department administered more than 4,000 vaccines.
The health department is out of nasal spray vaccines, but still has doses of the traditional flu vaccine and a high-dose vaccine for people aged 65 and older.
“If you’ve ever had the flu, you know you never want to have it again,” Turner said. “The simplest way to protect against that, with the exception of hand washing … is a flu vaccine.”
Getting vaccinated provides personal and community protection, Turner noted.
“There are some people who medically cannot have the vaccine … but what we do by vaccinating as many people as we can is create a herd immunity,” Turner said.
The health department has operated a flu clinic in the health department auditorium, at 2029 S. 17th St., since Sept. 30. The flu clinic will close Friday, Oct. 24 at noon, but flu shots will be available at the health department clinic. Appointments can be made by calling 910-798-6646.
The health department accepts all major insurance carriers as well as Medicare and Medicaid. Out-of-pocket costs depend on which vaccine a patient receives.
The Center for Disease Control recommends annual vaccinations for people ages 6 months and older. Reported flu cases typically peak between December and February, although flu cases are reported October through May.
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