BALTIMORE—Baltimore-area residents can once again get a free flu shot without leaving their cars at two MedStar Health hospitals this fall.
The 13th annual drive-thru and walk-up flu shot clinic will be held at MedStar Harbor Hospital on Saturday, Oct. 5; and at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center (on the CCBC Essex Campus) on Sunday, Nov. 3.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older. Last year’s flu season was the longest in a decade, and the 2017-2018 flu season was particularly severe, with 80,000 deaths attributed to the illness. In total, the CDC estimates that up to 42.9 million people got sick during last year’s flu season, 647,000 people were hospitalized and 61,200 died.
Clinicians will be ready to administer the shots to those who don’t have a known allergy to the vaccine. At MedStar Franklin Square, anyone aged 6 months and up can receive the vaccine. At MedStar Harbor, adults aged 18 and older can receive the vaccine.
Those who are getting the vaccine should remember to wear short sleeves or clothing with easy access to the upper arm. More than 900 people received the flu vaccine at the MedStar Franklin Square and MedStar Harbor Hospital events last year.
MedStar Harbor Hospital Drive-Thru Flu Clinic
When: Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or when supplies run out
Where: In the Orthopaedic Center Parking Lot, 2900 South Hanover Street
MedStar Franklin Square Drive-Thru Flu Clinic
When: Sunday, Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon, or when supplies run out
Where: CCBC Essex Campus, Rossville Boulevard and College Drive
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About MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education, innovation and research. MedStar’s 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals, ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents annually. MedStar Health’s patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit MedStarHealth.org.
