CARIBOU — Getting a flu shot this fall is as easy as rolling down your car window and pulling up your sleeves. After successfully trialing the concept in 2011, The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC) is bringing back a drive-up flu shot clinic in Presque Isle and adding a clinic in Caribou.
“Last year, we learned that other hospitals in Maine and beyond had offered people this new way to get vaccinated, and we wanted to give it a try,” said Dr. Jay Reynolds, TAMC’s chief medical officer and chief operating officer. “We discovered that people really like the convenience, and some people who otherwise would not have gotten a flu shot came out to be vaccinated.”
The first TAMC drive-up clinic of the season will be held at Caribou Health Center on Bennett Drive on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. until noon. The Presque Isle event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital on Academy Street.
“To get a flu shot at the drive-up clinics, simply follow the signs in the parking lot, put down your window, complete some very simple paperwork, and roll up your sleeve,” said Reynolds. “Our flu shot crew will administer the vaccine as you sit in your car. After you receive your flu shot, you can be on your way. It really is the easiest way to get vaccinated.”
Flu shots offered at TAMC’s fall clinics are provided free of charge and are appropriate for adults of all ages. According to Reynolds, the drive-up clinics will appeal to anyone who is looking for an easy way to get vaccinated, including young adults and families.
“Getting a flu shot is one of the most important things people can do to remain healthy this fall and winter,” said Jennifer Tweedie, TAMC’s infection prevention coordinator. “Even younger adults should get the vaccine. Any side effects are minor and last a very short time, and contrary to what some believe, you cannot get the flu as a result of getting vaccinated.”
After attending the Caribou drive-up clinic, the public is invited to stop by an open house being held at County Physical Therapy, located next to Caribou Health Center on Bennett Drive. The open house, scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, will feature tours of the clinic, a meet and greet with the therapy team, door prizes, and snacks.
For more information about TAMC’s fall flu shot schedule, please visit www.tamc.org or call 768-4044.
