FORT MITCHELL, Ky. (FOX19) - St. Elizabeth Healthcare will provide drive through areas for flu shots in September and October and Fort Mitchell is the first stop.
Get vaccinated and do it early is the message from St. Elizabeth Healthcare Physician
Dr. Robert Tracy.
He said the high demand this year is tied to similarities between the flu and COVID-19.
This is the best time to get a flu shot, Tracy explained.
“September and October. Definitely by Halloween is when I’m encouraging people to get it done,” Tracy stated. “We’ll start seeing flu sometimes in October, but definitely in November. It takes two weeks for the vaccine to kick in so, you do want to give it enough time for it to be effective.”
He added that COVID-19 patients need to wait until they are over their illness and feeling good enough to get a flu shot.
COVID-19 patients need to get vaccinated since they are at risk of secondary inflection, Tracy explained. That is, getting the vaccine would be very protective.
Drive through sites where you can get a flu shot through St. Elizabeth has two slots every 10 minutes offered for patients 12 and older.
Here are the dates, locations and times:
Sept. 19: Fort Mitchell PC, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Sept. 23: Crittenden PC, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Oct. 3: Florence Pediatrics, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Oct. 6: Crestview Hills IM, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Highland Heights PC, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Tracy said St. Elizabeth is receiving a lot of requests.
The strain on the healthcare system is overwhelming, Tracy explained, saying the more people they vaccinate, the more it will reduce the demand.