Last modified Wed., December 05, 2007 - 04:53 PM
Originally created Thursday, December 6, 2007

Get your shots now: Flu vaccine events scheduled for NAS Jax

By Loren Barnes, NH Jacksonville Public Affairs

HM3 Martha Espinoza administers the influenza vaccine to Amy Weatherford at last week's flu shot event at the NAS Jax Navy Exchange. Also receiving the vaccine was her son, Benjamin shown in the lap of his grandfather, William Hendricks. Photo by Loren Barnes

Naval Hospital Jacksonville began offering influenza vaccinations to eligible beneficiaries on Nov. 9. Hospital staff provided shots to 180 military, family members and retirees at the Navy Exchange (NEX) Food Court located aboard NAS Jacksonville.

Lt. Cmdr. Celeste San-tana, Naval Branch Health Clinic (NBHC) Jacksonville Occupational Health - Preventive Medicine Department said that this is just the first of several convenient opportunities for people to get the vaccinations at various locations on base. These include:

Tomorrow 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

NAS Jax NEX Food Court

o Proper military ID re-quired

Dec. 14, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

NAS Jax NEX Food Court

o Proper military ID re-quired

Dec. 21, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

NAS Jax NEX Food Court

o Proper military ID re-quired

Beneficiaries enrolled at the naval hospital can also get Influenza vaccinations through The Family Practice, Pediatrics, and Internal Medicine Clinics. These clinics will offer the flu vaccine during regularly scheduled hours. The Family Practice Clinic will also offer the flu vaccine during their Thursday evening clinics from 5-8 p.m. NBHC Jacksonville's immunization clinic will offer the vaccine to active duty from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

HM3 Martha Espinoza of the hospital's Wellness Center recently helped administer the vaccines at the NEX. She said that the influenza shot is not a guarantee against getting the flu or flu-like symptoms because the vaccine is targeted at specific, most common strains of the virus.

Still, she said, it is al-ways good to get the vaccine, especially for those in

highly susceptible groups. She noted that children are exposed to a range of cold and influenza viruses in school and other child care settings.

Those receiving the shot at the events above or in the clinics are screened before they receive it to be sure they have no allergies (egg products), prior reactions to the vaccine or other pre-existing health issues which might preclude them from safely receiving it.

They are also offered detailed information from the Center for Disease Control about the flu and the vaccination and fill out appropriate forms.

Amy Weatherford who was shopping with her dad, William Hendricks, took advantage of one of the Friday NEX events to get herself and her son Benjamin vaccinated. She said she planned to bring her other children to one of the later NEX events or go to the naval hospital to have them inoculated. "With three young children in daycare always getting sick, it's good to have all their shots up to date," she added.

Other NAS Jax vaccination events may be scheduled for late December or in January 2008 depending upon demand. Watch your Jax Air News and the Naval Hospital Jacksonville Internet page, NavalHospitalJax.med.navy.mil for announcements at that time. Information is also available by calling the Naval Hospital Jacksonville Central Appointments Line at 542-4677.