The Brookline Department of Public Health and Human Services urges all residents to attend upcoming vaccination clinics to safeguard the health and well-being of their loved ones this flu season.
The first clinic will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Brookline Senior Center, 93 Winchester St. This clinic will exclusively administer high-dose flu vaccines, recommended for individuals ages 65 and older. Register here.
In addition to the high-dose flu vaccine clinic, the following clinics will be available for residents ages six months and older:
- Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Baker School, 205 Beverly Road.
- Sunday, Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Brookline High School Schluntz Gymnasium, 115 Greenough St.
- Thursday, Oct. 24, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Ruffin-Ridley School, 345 Harvard St.
Registration for these clinics is required and can be completed online here. There is no cost to attend.
Residents are reminded to bring their insurance cards, Medicare cards and a form of identification. It is recommended that attendees wear short-sleeved or loose-fitting attire.
“As fall and winter bring more activities indoors, it’s essential to get your flu vaccination to protect yourself and others,” said Public Health Director Sigalle Reiss. “Vaccination remains the best defense against the flu, and we encourage all members of our community to take advantage of our free clinics.”
Staying up-to-date on your vaccination is one defense against respiratory illness. The Brookline Department of Public Health and Human Services shares the following tips to keep you and your family safe and healthy throughout flu season:
Hygiene: Covering your coughs and sneezes limits the spread of germs to protect others. Handwashing with soap removes germs from your hands, making them less likely to infect your respiratory system when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol can kill these germs. To remove germs and dirt on surfaces, use household cleaners that contain soap or detergent.
Cleaner Air: Some germs spread in the air between people. This happens more easily in indoor, crowded spaces with poor airflow. To reduce the risk of exposure, it helps to improve air quality by increasing airflow, cleaning the air, or opting to gather outdoors.
Stay Home and Prevent Spread: Stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have respiratory virus symptoms that aren’t better explained by another cause. These symptoms can include fever,
chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others.
Additional Prevention strategies for those at high risk:
Wear a mask: Wearing a mask can help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission. When worn by a person with an infection, masks reduce the spread of the virus to others. Masks can also protect wearers from breathing in infectious
particles from people around them. Different masks offer different levels of protection. Wearing the most protective one you can comfortably wear for extended periods of time that fits well (completely covering the nose and mouth) is the
most effective option.
Distancing: Putting physical distance between yourself and others can help lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus. There is no single number that defines a “safe” distance, since spread of viruses can depend on many factors.
Test: Testing for respiratory viruses can help you decide what to do next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chances of spreading a virus to others.
If you know someone who is homebound and needs a flu shot, call 617-730-2320 to schedule an in-home appointment.
For more information on the flu clinics and how to register, please visit www.brooklinema.gov/fluclinics or contact the Brookline Health Department at 617-730-2300 or vaccine@brooklinema.gov.
