The Randolph Leader: News

The first drive-through flu shots in Randolph County will be given Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Randolph County Health Department on Main Street, but it is about far more than just preventing the flu.

Kathy Green, clinic nurse supervisor with the Health Department, said the county is joining the entire Area 6 in this practice run for a pandemic flu event. The worst pandemic flu event in 1918 and 1919 killed more than 50 million people worldwide.

The Health Department, along with the Roanoke Police Department and Randolph County Emergency Management Agency, will run this operation like a real crisis event. During the event all county residents can get a flu shot for $10 without leaving their vehicles.

"We're going to have a one driveway entrance and an exit in the other road," Green said. Police will assist with routing traffic into the entrance driveway nearest Jon Boy's Restaurant and then helping them exit the drive nearest Alabama Power, she said.

It is impossible to know what the weather will be like but ways to make the exercise run more smoothly is by wearing short sleeves so you don't have to get out of your car and pull off layers, and have a check ready filled out to Randolph County Health Department, cash in hand or your Medicare card ready, Green said.

No appointment is necessary. You just follow the directions of the officers and health department personnel. This is convenient, hassle free and inexpensive, according to the health department. Flu shots will be given on this one day event from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Flu vaccine is plentiful this year and there are no age limits. The $10 charge is less than what most private physicians charge.

There are four stations during the exercise. People will be given a clipboard where they fill out health information like name, address, date of birth, and allergies. The second stop will be the money stop where you hand over a check, cash or Medicare card. The flu shot is given at the third stop. At the fourth stop you complete a survey about how the drive-through worked and and are given a free sample of a hand sanitizer that helps prevent infections, Green said.

This is a reminder to wash hands often with soap and warm water but particularly after going to the restroom and to teach children to take this number one preventative step.

"I went to Tallapoosa County yesterday and helped them awhile and it went very smoothly," Green said last week.

People need to remember the flu vaccine is not a live vaccine and cannot give you the flu. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to be effective, she said.

EMA director Donnie Knight will be assisting, and it will be similar to measures taken in an actual pandemic. Also if this was an actual incident giving the shot in the car would lessen exposure to other people, Green pointed out.

Police Chief Adam Melton said the police will primarily be there for security and traffic control. "I think it's a real good training exercise to make sure we're prepared, he said.

A pandemic influenza occurs when a virus (usually originating or preexisting in one or more species of bird) evolves into a flu that is transmittable to people.

Currently, a virus of most concern is circulating in Asia, Europe and Africa and it is called H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu). This virus is only missing one genetic change to make it easier to transmit person to person. When this change occurs, it may cause the next influenza pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and health departments would be on the front line in responding to such an epidemic.

Pandemic influenza has occurred three times in the last 100 years. The worst influenza pandemic ever recorded was the 1918 Spanish Flu which came in waves in 1918 and 1919, killing more than 50 million people worldwide including an estimated 675,000 people in the United States. The 1957 influenza pandemic caused at least 70,000 U.S. deaths and 1 to 2 million deaths worldwide.

Such a rapidly spreading influenza pandemic could sicken millions, seriously straining health care systems and affecting the ability of government and the private sector to provide essential services. Organizations could experience a workforce reduction as staff become sick while others remain at home to care for sick family members or are absent to care for children if schools closed.

CDC and Health Department articles stress that people should use healthy habits and teach and encourage children to use them as well, such as hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when sick, and not sharing personal items. These habits can not only reduce the spread of germs that cause colds and flu, but also pandemic flu.

Anyone with questions can contact Kathy Green at (334) 863-8981.