Wilton Health Department and Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County will offer a drive-thru flu vaccination clinic Oct. 10-11.
RVNAhealth /WILTON — Wilton residents will be able to take advantage of a drive-in flu vaccination clinic next month offered by the Wilton Health Department with Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County.
The clinics will take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of Miller-Driscoll School. The clinic is being held as a drive-thru to enable social distancing and eliminate the need for disinfecting the school building afterwards.
Appointments are required in advance and may be made beginning Sept. 25. No walk-ups will be allowed. Check the Wilton Health Department website for updates.
The flu vaccine clinic entrance will be from the Belden Hill Road side of the school, and all vehicles will exit onto Wolfpit Road. There may be some minor traffic delays in that area on those days, and residents not receiving a flu shot are encouraged to seek alternate routes. Only those with an appointment for a flu shot will be allowed on school grounds on those days.
Influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.
Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis according to the Centers for Disease Control.
While it’s not possible to say with certainty what will happen in the fall and winter, CDC believes it’s likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both be spreading.
A flu vaccine may prevent getting sick with flu, reduce the severity of ab illness if you do get flu, and reduce the risk of a flu-associated hospitalization.
Vaccination of people at high risk for flu complications is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness. Many people at higher risk from flu also seem to be at higher risk from COVID-19.
It is possible to have flu, as well as other respiratory illnesses including COVID-19, at the same time according to the CDC.