SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — The coronavirus pandemic seemed like the perfect time for Northern Light Home Care and Hospice to bring back it’s drive-thru flu clinics.
The public health organization in South Portland typically vaccinates 10,000 people a year and they are already at that figure this year.
"They have been really successful. We’ve been able to get whole families in, elderly people who could not otherwise walk into their physicians office and get vaccinated. We’ve been really happy with the model," manager of clinical and community health services Cathy Bean said.
Thursday's drive-thru clinic is being held at the South Portland Community Center from 3 to 6 p.m. This is just one of the dozens of clinics they have held and will hold throughout November. Bean says one clinic in Yarmouth had upwards of 400 people drive-thru.
“We have tents and heaters set up. We have used fire stations, Public Works garage, and other creative ways to get people in where there is still shelter but they can drive-thru,” Bean said.
Health care officials are urging people to get the flu shot particularly this year because of COVID-19. Bean says, "we don’t want people to have influenza and be susceptible to a COVID infection at the same time. Getting clinics going really helps the healthcare system because providers can’t see all of their patients within a two-month timeframe.”
Bean says if people can avoid the flu it will reduce the burden on Maine’s health care system, one that is already dealing with the effects of a pandemic.
Bean says, "More than 300 people in Maine died from the flu last year" and that "flu shots really prevent the spread of illness in the community so it’s really one thing you can do to stay healthy in a year where we feel there is not a lot we can do.”
The drive-thru flu clinics are “a dress rehearsal for the COVID vaccines when they come out so this is also very important for our planning process so we know how to get people in safely and efficiently so they can be vaccinated,” Bean says.
Bean says flu shots are available for anyone regardless of age or ability to pay.
To find a flu clinic, search your zip code on flushot.healthmap.org or cdc.gov/flu or search the listings on 211maine.org.