ELY – The Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital is offering a free drive-thru flu shot clinic at the St. Louis County Public Works Department facility in Ely. The garage is located off Hidden Valley Road on the east end of town.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step for protection from the seasonal viruses that hospitalized more than 400,000 people last year alone.
With COVID-19 cases still spreading, contracting the flu could create confusion about which illness one may have. It’s also possible to become infected with both viruses concurrently, which would impact the body’s ability to fight the two illnesses and greatly compromise health. 
The CDC also recommends this routine immunization to help decrease influenza cases, protect communities from vaccine-preventable outbreaks, and reduce further strain on healthcare systems where hospital bed availability and vital personal protective equipment remain limited during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dozens of area residents took advantage of the convenient public health service last Saturday, and EBCH will again offer the clinic this Saturday, Oct. 16, from 8 a.m. to noon. Flu shots will also be available next month at ISD 696 parent/teacher conferences on Tuesday, Nov. 16 and Thursday, Nov. 18, from 3:30-7 p.m.
To help the lines move quickly, please mask up, wear a short-sleeved shirt, and visit the EBCH website to print and complete a copy of the consent form. If you are age 65 or over and would like a high-dose vaccination, have your Medicare cards available.
For more information, go to https://www.ebch.org/community-health/classes-events.