Our free flu shot campaign has ended for 2011.

With over 30,000 free flu shots provided to the St. Louis community this year, Barnes-Jewish Hospital thanks all of our staff and volunteers who helped make our 2011 campaign a tremendous success.

If you you didn't make it to one of our flu shot clinic locations this year and you are in need of a flu shot, please contact your health care provider.

About the Free Flu Shot Campaign

The single best way for families to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated in the fall. Every year, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital partner to offer free flu shots to those in St. Louis and its surrounding communities. Since 2009, Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s have administered more than 90,000 free flu shots.

If you have any questions or are interested in being a flu vaccination site in 2012, please email communitybenefit@bjc.org.

Frequently Asked Questions about Flu Shots

Who should have a flu shot?
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following adults be vaccinated each year:

• People at high risk for complications from the flu.
• People 65 years and older;
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house those with long-term illnesses;
• Adults with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma;
• Adults who needed regular medical care or were in a hospital during the previous year because of a metabolic disease (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicines or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]);
• Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
• People with any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions (that is, a condition that makes it hard to breathe or swallow, such as brain injury or disease, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other nerve or muscle disorders.)
• People 50 to 64 years of age. Because nearly one-third of people 50 to 64 years of age in the United States have one or more medical conditions that place them at increased risk for serious flu complications, vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 50 – 64 years.
• People who can transmit flu to others at high risk for complications. Any person in close contact with someone in a high-risk group (see above) should get vaccinated. This includes all health-care workers, household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children 0 to 23 months of age, and close contacts of people 65 years and older.

Will I need two shots this year?
No. This year’s seasonal flu vaccine protects against three strains of the flu virus, including H1N1.

Can I still get a flu shot if I have a latex allergy?
No, please see your primary care physician to request a latex-free vaccine.

Can my child be vaccinated, too?
Children 6-months and older can receive a vaccine.  Please note that some locations do not offer pediatric doses for children 6 to 36 months.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends the following guidelines for children:

• Influenza vaccination is recommended for all children aged 6 months to 5 years.
• Influenza vaccination is also of benefit to older children.
• If this is the first year your child is receiving the flu vaccine and he/she is under the age of 9 years, a second follow-up vaccine is required four weeks after the first dose for maximum effectiveness. (Only the first dose will be given at these clinics; you will need to see your primary healthcare provider for the follow-up vaccine).
• Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital will require all children 17 years & under to be accompanied by a parent.  A grandparent can bring the child with a written consent from the parent.

Other FAQ's:

• FluMist and intra-dermal vaccines will NOT be available at the Free Community Flu Shot Clinics
• The vaccine does NOT contain thimerosal.
• A flu shot will NOT be given if a person has had an allergic reaction in the past, latex allergy, egg allergy or ever had Gullian-Barre Syndrome.
• A flu shot should NOT be given if a person currently has a fever or respiratory illness.

For more information about the free community flu clinic, email communitybenefit@bjc.org.