The Mississippi Department of Health will offer an opportunityfor residents to avoid the fever, coughs and sniffles during a fluvaccination clinic Thursday.

The MSDH staff will devote the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Thursday for the sole purpose of administering flu and pneumoniavaccinations.

“That’s all we’re going to do that day,” said Stacy White,office manager of the agency’s Brookhaven office.

Adult flu vaccinations cost $25. Pneumonia shots will also beavailable at a cost of $44.

Medicare Part B covers the cost of both vaccinations, so thosewith that coverage are asked to bring their cards with them to theclinic. Medicaid and CHIP also cover flu vaccinations.

Children ages six months through 18 years can receive fluvaccinations for $10.

The Brookhaven office of MSDH has been providing flu shots sinceOct. 1 and has administered more than 1,200 to date, White said.However, they believe a vaccination clinic might reach morepeople.

It will be the first local MSDH clinic since a vaccinationshortage a few years ago caused shots to be limited to the elderlyand the very young. Although that shortage lasted only one season,the local office did not renew the clinic until this week.

“This will be our first year since then to start it up again asan in-house clinic,” White said. “We do have a plentiful supply andwe can transfer more in as needed.”

Chris Smith, coordinating nurse at the Brookhaven office, saidflu season typically begins in late December and runs throughMarch. However, Mississippi’s season is usually much shorterbecause of the climate.

“We generally have a later flu season in the South – January andFebruary – but I have already heard of a few cases this year,” shesaid.

It is not too early to be vaccinated, however, because the shotslast for a period of approximately four months and it takes two tofour weeks for the human body to build up immunity to the virus,Smith said.

The nurse discounted a “myth” that people avoid the vaccinationsbecause they may contract the flu from the vaccine.

“You cannot get the flu from the vaccine,” Smith said. “Whathappens is people get exposed before they build up immunity andbelieve the vaccine gave it to them.”

Although the clinic is designed as many people as possible,Smith said the clinic will maintain a supply of vaccine throughoutthe flu season. Flu vaccinations will be available at MSDH officesduring normal business hours through February.

Pneumonia shots are kept throughout the year, although themajority are administered during the winter as people getvaccinated for the flu. Pneumonia vaccinations require a boostershot after five years for those under the age of 65, Smithsaid.