By Jeff Hansel
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
Still haven’t gotten your flu shot this year?
Plan to vote?
This year, you can do both in the same day.
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Olmsted County Public Health will offer influenza vaccinations to voters at the Fourth Ward’s fourth precinct voting site, which is also the Olmsted County Public Health office.
Flu shots will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Election Day at public health’s normal walk-in immunization clinic, 2100 Campus Drive S.E.
Later that day, Tuesday, public health will also offer a "Vote & Vax Clinic" from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the same location.
People from any voting district will be offered flu shots for $21, said public information officer Kari Etrheim.
The cost is covered by Medicare if you bring your Medicare card.
Almost 70 percent of the 36,000 Americans who die from influenza and its complications each year are older than 50 or have chronic health conditions, according to public health. Typically, a large percent of those people voting are also older than 50.
"Making these shots more available and convenient will increase the number of people being protected this flu season," according to a public health statement.
