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DHSS Press Release

Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary
Jill Fredel, Director of Communications
302-255-9047, Pager 302-357-7498
Email: jill.fredel@delaware.gov

Date: October 1, 2018
DHSS-10-2018

MEDIA ADVISORY: GET A FREE FLU SHOT DURING OCT. 5 FLU CLINIC AT PORTER STATE SERVICE CENTER IN WILMINGTON

WHO:	Dr. Karyl Rattay, Director, Division of Public Health (DPH) The Honorable Matt Denn, Attorney General
WHAT:	Walk-up flu clinic for Delawareans ages 9 and up on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018 at the Porter State Service Center in Wilmington. Public Health nurses and two volunteer nurses from the Delaware Medical Reserve Corps will administer free flu shots. American Sign Language interpreters will be available, in addition to staff speaking Spanish, Haitian Creole French, Igbo, Hebrew, Korean and Yoruba. Attendees should wear short sleeves or loose-fitting clothing for access to the upper arm. People who are ill on the clinic day, especially with a fever, or whose health care provider advised them not to receive a flu vaccination, should not participate in this flu clinic. Pets, other than service animals, should be left at home. A media opportunity is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Dr. Rattay and Attorney General Matt Denn will be on site at that time. DPH is running the flu clinic as a preparedness exercise, so DPH staff can practice their readiness and capacity to vaccinate the public in the event of a large-scale health emergency. Staff will follow the Incident Command System structure and wear identification vests.
WHEN:	Friday, October 5, 2018, rain or shine Media opportunity from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Flu clinic is 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or until vaccines run out
WHERE:	Under tents in the parking lot of the Porter State Service Center 509 W. 8th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
WHY:	Influenza is unpredictable and can be deadly. Annual flu shots protect individuals and their families, friends and co-workers. During the 2017-2018 flu season, Delaware recorded 9,045 flu cases, the highest number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases since record keeping began in 2005. Over 1,200 Delawareans were hospitalized due to the flu and 35 people died from flu complications. DPH urges all Delawareans, including those with access and functional needs, to get their flu shots early, preferably by the end of October. Delaware already has flu activity occurring. DPH has scheduled numerous flu clinics statewide. View the flu clinic schedule at flu.delaware.gov or call DPH at 1-800-282-8672. To find flu clinics in your ZIP code, visit www.flu.gov.
PHOTOS:	Attorney General Denn and possibly other dignitaries getting their flu shots, and close-ups of flu vaccine. Clients who sign media consent forms may be photographed.
INSTRUCTIONS:	For fastest service, complete the Influenza Vaccination Administration Record (VAR) form and bring one form per person with you. Visit www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/fluclinics.html. Greeters will also have VAR forms on hand.
QUESTIONS:	302-744-4704

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person's spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

MEDIA ADVISORY: GET A FREE FLU SHOT DURING OCT. 5 FLU CLINIC AT PORTER STATE SERVICE CENTER IN WILMINGTON

Delaware's Government