Flu vaccine clinics are popping up in SLO County. Here’s how to get free shots
San Luis Obispo County is opening several pop-up clinics offering free flu vaccines ahead of the winter season.
You don’t need to make an appointment ahead of time to get a no-cost influenza shot, according to a news release from the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department.
County health officials urged residents to get vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 now to avoid getting sick.
“Getting your updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines is the most important step you can take to protect yourself from these viruses,” county Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in the release. “Your vaccines can protect you from a potentially serious or even life-changing illness.”
Here’s what you need to know about the pop-up vaccination clinics opening around SLO County:
Who is eligible for free flu vaccine in SLO County?
The influenza vaccine is available to anyone 6 months or older, the county Public Health Department said.
Where can I get no-cost shots? When are clinics open?
Here is where you can find free flu vaccine clinics in San Luis Obispo County and when they are open:
- Where: 101 S First St., Shandon
- When: 4:30 to 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3
Lillian Larsen Elementary School
- Where: 1601 L St., San Miguel
- When: 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9
Morro Bay Public Health Clinic
- Where: 760 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay
- When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11
- Where: 1425 19th St., Oceano
- When: 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18
- Where: 8651-8661 Santa Rosa Road, Atascadero
- When: 3 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24
Where to find COVID-19 vaccines in SLO County
COVID-19 vaccines are available at local pharmacies and public health clinics, as well as through some health care providers, the Public Health Department said.
The county recommended everyone aged 6 months or older get an updated vaccine “to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 this fall and winter.”
To schedule an appointment at a public health clinic, call 805-781-5500.
You can also find available vaccine appointments online at VaccineFinder.org.
What is the new COVID-19 vaccine?
There are new COVID vaccines available for Americans this fall.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved new versions of of the vaccine to better protect the public against circulating COVID variants.
The vaccines manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc. now include a component targeting the Omicron variant KP.2 strain of SARS-CoV-2, the administration said in an August news release.
The new COVID-19 vaccines are one-dose shots that protect the immune system against serious infection, according to health experts.
Common symptoms of the vaccine include mild soreness at the injection site, tiredness, headaches, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea.
