According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 80,000 Americans died of influenza and its complications last flu season — the disease’s highest death toll in at least four decades. The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent flu illness and serious flu complications. The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older receive an annual flu shot before the end of October. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body’s immune system to fully respond and for you to be protected. 

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center offers the flu vaccine by appointment at its Immunizations Clinic and Community Health Centers throughout Lake County. To make an appointment, call (847) 377-8800.

Retail clinics, pharmacies, and individual healthcare providers also provide flu shots. To find a convenient location to get your family’s flu vaccinations, visit vaccinefinder.org.