UnityPoint Clinic® to Hold Flu Clinics in October

For Immediate Release: October 1, 2018
Contact: Kari Lammer, Marketing Communications Manager
Kari.Lammer@unitypoint.org or 563-589-2585

Dubuque, IA— UnityPoint Clinic will hold public flu vaccination clinics on evenings and weekends to make it easier for people to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu. Clinics will be held in Dubuque, Peosta and Cascade throughout October. For people unable to attend one of the night or weekend clinic times, walk-in flu vaccines are available at Urgent Care and Walk-In Care locations during normal business hours. Finley’s Visiting Nurse Association will provide flu shots for all children on Medicaid.

Seasonal influenza, commonly called "the flu," is caused by influenza viruses, and spread mainly by coughing, sneezing, and close contact. Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the flu can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications in some people, including infants and young children, people 65 and older, and pregnant women.

Yearly flu vaccination typically begins as soon as the vaccine is available, and continues throughout the flu season, which can last until May. This is because the timing and duration of flu seasons vary. While flu cases have been confirmed in our region already, most of the time seasonal flu activity peaks in January, February or later.

Although there are many different flu viruses and they are constantly changing, the flu vaccines attempt to match the expected virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) flu vaccines protect against three or four viruses that research suggests are the most common. This year’s vaccination has been updated to better match circulating viruses. Even if the vaccine doesn’t prevent the flu, it can drastically reduce the impact the flu has on an individual.

About UnityPoint Health® Finley Hospital
UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital is a private, not-for-profit; community owned and controlled regional health care facility. Finley Hospital is a member of UnityPoint Health, one of the nation’s most integrated health systems in the Midwest and 13th largest nonprofit health care system in the United States. UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital is committed to providing programs and services to improve the health of individuals throughout Dubuque and Tri-States communities and works to deliver the Best Outcome Every Patient Every Time. Centers of excellence include cancer care, heart care, birth care, emergency care, surgery services, and wound and hyperbaric services.