Fort Campbell, KY – Have you taken steps yet to keep from getting or spreading the flu? Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH) is administering the influenza (flu) vaccine to local TRICARE beneficiaries.
Patients assigned to a primary care provider at BACH may receive the flu vaccine within their assigned clinic Monday through Friday on a walk-in basis during the hours listed below. No appointment is necessary, however patients may ask for the vaccine during a regularly scheduled appointment.
BACH’s community based medical home clinic, the Screaming Eagle Medical Home, will contact their patients who have selected to participate in the secure messaging by email when the vaccine is available there. Until it becomes available at the Screaming Eagle Medical Home, patients assigned there may receive the flu vaccine within the Immunization Clinic at BACH. Patients 2 years or younger may receive the vaccine in the Young Eagle Clinic at BACH.
Patients Assigned to Provider Outside of BACH
Patients assigned to a network primary care provider (off post) should ask to receive the flu vaccine from their assigned provider. If your assigned healthcare provider does not offer the flu vaccine, patients 36 months and older may receive the vaccine in BACH’s Immunization Clinic on a walk-in basis Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the hours listed below. Parents with a child under the age of 36 months who receive care in the network may contact the Young Eagle Clinic at 931.431.4677 to speak with an advice nurse for more information.
Annual Vaccination Important
“It is important to get vaccinated every year because flu viruses are constantly changing,” said Lt. Col. Kirsten Anke, Preventive Medicine Chief. Each year scientists try to match the viruses in the vaccine to those most likely to cause flu that year. The 2011-2012 vaccine helps protect against the three strains, H1N1, Flu A and Flu B, that the World Health Organization anticipates being most likely to spread during the upcoming flu season.
“We encourage everyone to get vaccinated annually and it is especially important for the high risk population to receive it now,” said Anke.
The high risk population includes healthcare workers, young children, caregivers of children 6 months or younger, pregnant women and individuals who have chronic health conditions or are 50 years of age and older.
Some children 6 months to 8 years old may be advised to receive two doses of the flu vaccine, at least four weeks apart. A healthcare provider can help you determine if your child requires a second dose.
About the Flu
The flu virus attacks the lungs and can cause body aches, sore throat, coughing, headache, fever and nasal congestion or drainage. For a more complete list of flu symptoms, please visit the Center for Disease Control online at www.cdc.gov.
The flu itself is not usually dangerous, but its complications can be. For some people it can be very serious and even fatal. The people who may suffer the most serious effects are pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people who currently have health problems.
The flu virus can be in the body’s system before symptoms begin. This means people who do not feel sick can easily spread the virus to others. According to the Center for Disease Control, people can spread the flu to others up to one week after becoming ill themselves.
Walk-in Flu Vaccine Availability Hours
Blue Clinic: 8:00am–5:30pm
Young Eagle: 7:30am–5:30pm
Gold Clinic: 7:30am-12:00pm and 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Screaming Eagle Medical Home: 9:00am–11:30am and 1:00pm–3:30pm (once available)
Immunization Clinic: Monday and Wednesday from 7:30am to 11:00am and 12:30pm to 4:00pm and Friday from 12:30pm to 3:00pm on the first and third Wednesday of each month, the clinic opens at 8:30am.
