Campaign Encourages People to Share #igottheshot
Protect your family, friends and community this winter by getting the influenza vaccination and then encourage others to do the same by sharing #igottheshot on social media.
Influenza, also known as the flu, is a respiratory illness with coughing, congestion, fever, aches and pains. The Centers for Disease Control recommends everyone over the age of 6 months get vaccinated against influenza.
ThedaCare encourages people to share on social media using #igottheshot when they get their flu shot, even adding why – for their family, friends, coworkers or others. The hope is people will notice their friends and family members getting vaccinated and then do the same, said Adam Olson, MD, a family medicine physician at ThedaCare Physicians-Darboy. Vaccinations not only protect the person receiving, but also slow the spread of the disease in the community, especially helping those who can’t be vaccinated such as infants or people with compromised immune systems, he said.
Influenza is a serious illness and shouldn’t be taken lightly. “When people get the flu, they can miss more than a week of school or work,” Dr. Olson said. “The flu can also lead to more serious complications, including pneumonia. People are hospitalized every year because of influenza, and unfortunately some people even die from it.”
While the CDC recommends the influenza vaccination for everyone, it’s especially recommended for people over the age of 50, children, people with chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes, pregnant women, healthcare workers, and people who live or work in nursing home facilities since they are more at risk of developing serious complications, Dr. Olson said. There’s also a vaccine for people who are allergic to eggs, who previously weren’t able to receive the influenza vaccination.
“Don’t wait to get vaccinated until people start getting sick – do it now,” he said. “It can take up to two weeks for your body to receive the full immunity from the vaccination. We also can’t predict when flu season will strike – it could come as early as November or sometime in January. It’s best to do it early and protect yourself.”
To get their seasonal vaccination, patients can choose to see their ThedaCare Physicians provider, visit a ThedaCare FastCare clinic or attend a ThedaCare At Home flu shot clinic. For patients over the age of 65, a high-dose vaccination, which has more than four times as much antigen as the regular shot, is available. Most insurance providers and Medicare cover flu shots.
The pneumococcal vaccine is also available for adults. People over the age of 65 are encouraged to receive this vaccination, which helps prevent pneumonia. Medicare covers the cost.
ThedaCare Physicians and FastCare
Patients can call their ThedaCare Physician office to schedule an appointment to receive their vaccination. The staff will handle insurance billing and add any shots patients receive into their electronic medical record.
Patients can also walk into one of the two FastCare Clinics, which are in the Shopko in north Appleton and the Shopko Express in Darboy. FastCare will handle the insurance billing and medical records of ThedaCare patients will be updated. FastCare can only administer flu shots to patients who are 3 years or older.
ThedaCare Physicians and FastCare also offer FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine for patients ages 3 to 49. The FluMist may not be appropriate for all patients in that age range depending on some health restrictions.
ThedaCare patients receiving a flu shot elsewhere, such as at work, can message their provider through MyThedaCare.org so the vaccination can be added to their medical record.
ThedaCare At Home™ Flu Clinics 2015
People can call the ThedaCare At Home flu clinic hotline at (920) 730-3472 for clinic locations and times. No appointment is needed, but everyone must be 18 years or older. Medicare Part B covers the cost of the flu and pneumonia shots so bring ALL Medicare and insurance cards with you. All non-Medicare insurance will be handled with only cash and checks. Staff members will also add any shots received to ThedaCare patients’ electronic medical records.
ThedaCare At Home’s clinic times include:
- Fri., Oct. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon at Greenleaf Wayside Bank, 1608 Day St., Greenleaf
- Tues., Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Piggly Wiggly, 1919 N. Shawano St., New London
- Wed., Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Omro Community Center, 130 W. Larrabee St., Omro
- Thurs., Oct. 8 from 8 a.m. to noon at Heart of the Valley YMCA, 225 W. Kennedy Ave., Kimberly
- Fri., Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Greenville Town Hall, W6860 Parkview Drive, Greenville
- Tues., Oct. 13 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Appleton YMCA, 218 E. Lawrence St., Appleton
- Tues., Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Festival Foods, 308 N. Shawano St., New London
- Thurs., Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Waupaca Senior Center, 407 School St., Waupaca
- Thurs., Oct. 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, 240 W. 9th Ave., Oshkosh
- Fri., Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at Dick’s Family Foods, 400 High St., Wrightstown
- Mon, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fox West YMCA, W6931 School Road, Greenville
- Tues., Oct 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wolf River Community Bank, 309 E. Main St., Hortonville
- Thurs., Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Piggly Wiggly, 520 E. Northland Ave., Appleton
- Fri., Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Kimberly Municipal Complex, 515 W. Kimberly Ave., Kimberly
- Sun., Oct. 25 from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 312 S. State St., Appleton
- Thurs., Oct. 29 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Thompson Community Center, 820 W. College Ave., Appleton
- Sat., Nov. 14 from 9 to 11 a.m. at ThedaCare At Home, 3000 E. College Ave., Appleton
- Sat., Dec. 5 from 9 to 11 a.m. at ThedaCare At Home, 3000 E. College Ave., Appleton
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 35 clinics in 14 counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. Construction of the ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton is underway. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
