FluMist Vaccine Offered at Some Missouri Grocery Stores
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Columbia/Boone County Health Department will provide free FluMist vaccines at six clinics held at local grocery stores this week.
Rather than a flu shot, FluMist is a live-virus vaccine administered through the nose, similar to a nasal spray. The vaccine is appropriate for healthy people ages 5 to 49. The health department is urging all eligible residents to get the vaccine, since flu rates often peak in January and February.
Because FluMist contains a weakened version of a live flu virus, the following people shouldn't get it: children under 5 and adults over 50; people with long-term health problems including heart, kidney, lung, anemia, and metabolic diseases like diabetes; asthmatics; people with blood disorders; pregnant women; children and teenagers on long-term aspirin therapy; people with compromised immune systems due to long-term illnesses; people with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome or an active neurological disease; anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to eggs or previous flu vaccines.
The schedule and locations of clinics are:
Tuesday, noon to 3:00 p.m.
--Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway, Columbia
--Gerbes, 2900 Paris Road, Columbia
Wednesday, noon to 3:00 p.m.
--Prenger's Foods, 275 E. Singleton Street, Centralia
--Gerbes, 205 E. Nifong Blvd., Columbia
Thursday, noon to 3:00 p.m.
--Moser's, 109 Eastside Drive, Ashland
--Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway, Columbia
Rather than a flu shot, FluMist is a live-virus vaccine administered through the nose, similar to a nasal spray. The vaccine is appropriate for healthy people ages 5 to 49. The health department is urging all eligible residents to get the vaccine, since flu rates often peak in January and February.
Because FluMist contains a weakened version of a live flu virus, the following people shouldn't get it: children under 5 and adults over 50; people with long-term health problems including heart, kidney, lung, anemia, and metabolic diseases like diabetes; asthmatics; people with blood disorders; pregnant women; children and teenagers on long-term aspirin therapy; people with compromised immune systems due to long-term illnesses; people with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome or an active neurological disease; anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to eggs or previous flu vaccines.
The schedule and locations of clinics are:
Tuesday, noon to 3:00 p.m.
--Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway, Columbia
--Gerbes, 2900 Paris Road, Columbia
Wednesday, noon to 3:00 p.m.
--Prenger's Foods, 275 E. Singleton Street, Centralia
--Gerbes, 205 E. Nifong Blvd., Columbia
Thursday, noon to 3:00 p.m.
--Moser's, 109 Eastside Drive, Ashland
--Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway, Columbia