Roll up your sleeve or loosen your belt. It's time for an Influenza Vaccination. Don't be a party pooper and miss out on one of the biggest celebrations of the year.

This first week of December is National Influenza Vaccination Week. The medical folks say it's to "remind everyone six months and older that it’s not too late to get a flu vaccine. The Influenza (flu) Vaccine is available at Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department, and health officials are urging all residents to receive the flu vaccine. Flu season typically starts in October and can last as late as May. The flu shot takes approximately two weeks to provide full protection against the influenza virus."

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that occurs seasonally nationwide. According to the CDC, during the 2018-2019 flu season the flu caused between 37.4 and 42.9 million illnesses nationwide, including between 531,000 and 647,000 hospitalizations and nearly 61,200 deaths. Anyone can get the flu, including healthy children and adults. Every person six months and older should get the flu vaccine every year, especially certain groups who are considered at highest risk, like young children, pregnant women, and adults who have chronic health conditions or are over the age of sixty-five. - Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department e-mail.

You can get a flu shot pretty much anywhere there are doctors. The Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department is offering walk-in flu vaccinations at their office located at 311 East Alcott Street, Kalamazoo, on the following dates and times:

Monday, Tuesday*, Wednesday, and Friday:
8:00 am. – 5:00 pm. (closed 12:00-1:00 pm.)

Thursday:
10:00 am. – 6:00 pm. (closed 1:00-2:00 pm.).

More From WKMI