Seasonal flu shots are available at Granger Medical Clinic at a cost of $25 for the shot, $30 for the nasal spray and $30 for the "High-Dose" shot for those individuals over the age of 65. The clinic operates on a cash basis in our Urgent Care Department. Shots can also be obtained by appointment with your provider and we will bill your insurance carrier.

H1N1 protection is provided with the seasonal Flu shot this year.

An annual vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for:

• all persons, including school-aged children, who want to reduce the risk of becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting influenza to others;
• all children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday;
• pregnant women
• all persons aged 50 years and older;
• people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions;
• people who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
• people who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including health care workers; household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu; household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated).

There are two methods to receive vaccines:

The "flu shot" - an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.

The flu nasal-spray vaccine - a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for "live attenuated influenza vaccine" or FluMist). LAIV (FluMist) is approved for use in healthy people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant. (FluMist is a registered trademark.)

About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body.

An annual vaccination against influenza is not recommended for:

• people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs;
• people who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination;
• people who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine;
• children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group); and
• people who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated).