The Pivot | Drive Through Flu Clinics

Protecting parents and children from the flu is always a priority. 2020 presented a unique challenge. We had to come up with a COVID-safe way to give flu shots.

Pandemic Problems Require Pandemic Solutions

Here is what we did to keep everyone safe:

• Drive through flu clinics – so parents and children could get the vaccine from the safety of their cars
• Online registration and scheduling — all paperwork was contact-less and completed online.
• Medically appropriate timing of vaccination. Flu vaccines are best given in October. Flu shots are most effective for a six-month period. If you get a flu shot too early in August, you could be vulnerable to the second flu peak in March-April.
• Convenient weekend scheduling. Our drive-through clinics were hold on Saturdays-Sundays.
• COVID-19 Free. All staff were screened and tested COVID-PCR negative before the clinic.

Keep Drive-Through Flu Clinics Forever

Here is what we commonly heard back:

• I felt so safe.
• The weekend scheduling was so convenient.
• I don’t know why, but our children did not make much of a fuss.

Some say it was the balloons. Others credit the outdoors. We like to take some credit. But then again, it could simply be our luck!

Regardless, we are keeping the drive-through flu clinics forever! Reservations will start in July-August so that we can have enough flu vaccine supplies.

You can learn more about the 2020/2021 flu season and vaccine by visiting the following sites:

• CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2020-2021.htm
• March of Dimes: https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/influenza-and-pregnancy.aspx
• Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS): https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/flu.pdf