Town of East Hartford Offering Flu Clinics for Seniors

flu clinics for seniors

East Hartford, CT— The East Hartford Health Department (EHHD) is sponsoring two upcoming influenza vaccine clinics for our senior residents who have not yet received their flu shot. The clinics will take place at the Senior Center located at 15 Milbrook Drive on Friday, October 15 and Friday, October 22 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

“As we are approaching the flu season, I find it necessary to stress that getting a flu shot this fall is more important than ever” said East Hartford Mayor Marcia Leclerc. “It is every person’s responsibility to put prevention to good use and make vaccination a part of their routine healthcare.

Flu shots will be administered by Hartford Healthcare at Home.  Residents are advised to bring their driver’s license or other official ID and health insurance card. The following insurance plans are accepted for this clinic: Medicare; Medicare advantage plans for Aetna, Anthem, Connecticare, and CarePartners; Cigna; Aetna; Anthem; and Connecticare for individuals not on Medicare or Medicare advantage plans.  There are no out-of-pocket costs and reservations are not necessary.  For questions about the flu vaccine or clinic options for uninsured individuals, please contact the EHHD at 860-291-7324.

EHHD strongly encourages all East Hartford residents six months of age and older to get vaccinated against the flu.

  “Seasonal flu activity normally begins as early as October or November in CT and continues through May,” said Laurence Burnsed, Director of Health.  “Getting vaccinated not only reduces your risk of severe illness or death due to the flu, but it also protects your family and close contacts, especially those who are more vulnerable to severe illness or complications due to the flu, like babies and young children, older people, and people with certain chronic health conditions.”

There are several benefits of getting vaccinated against the flu:

  • Vaccination reduces your risk of getting sick with the flu;
  • If, after being vaccinated, you become sick with the flu , the flu vaccination has shown to reduce severe of symptoms resulting in a lower risk of hospitalization and intensive care unit admission; and
  • Flu vaccination is an important preventive tool for people at high-risk of experiencing serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease or lung disease, and people 65 years and older.

The flu vaccine can be administered at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine, including to persons planning to get a COVID-19 booster shot.  It is important to consider getting vaccinated for both flu and COVID-19, if you have not already.  Flu vaccination has no direct protection against COVID-19, but can significantly lessen your flu symptoms.  Severe influenza illness can leave the immune system vulnerable to dangerous viral infections such as COVID-19.

Individuals are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider or local pharmacy about availability of the flu vaccine.  The EHHD will announce additional upcoming flu clinics as they are scheduled.  For more information about the flu, vaccination, and other preventive measures, visit the EHHD website at https://www.easthartfordct.gov/health-and-social-services.