Our Seasonal Flu Shot Program Has Begun

Dear Colleague:

Our Seasonal Flu Shot Program Has Begun

Maine State Government and Anthem BC/BS are teaming up again this year to bring seasonal flu shots to state employee worksites. The flu shots will be given again by our own DHHS Public Health Nurses. This year's program is once again open to spouses, partners, children 18 years or older and retirees. To be eligible for a seasonal flu shot, employees, spouses, partners, adult children and retirees must be a member of the State Employee Health Insurance Program and must bring their State of Maine Anthem BCBS health insurance card with them to the flu shot clinic.

Many worksite flu shot clinics have already been scheduled. We are still working to schedule additional clinics.

You can see the current list of all the scheduled worksite flu shot clinics by viewing the clinic schedules for both Augusta and Outside Augusta on the Home Page of the Employee Health and Benefits Web site. Here is the link: http://www.maine.gov/beh . Look in the Upcoming Events section.

To reserve a spot at a worksite clinic, contact the coordinator listed for that clinic at least one week before the clinic's date. (For those clinics scheduled this week, please contact the coordinator as soon as possible.) Information on any additional clinics will be added to the Schedule of Worksite Clinics as they are scheduled. Clinic dates are posted soon after I receive the information, so check the schedule often during the next couple of weeks to view the newest clinics added.

If you go to any one of our worksite clinics, remember to bring your Anthem BC/BS Health Insurance Card with you and to wear short sleeves.

Remember--you can't get the flu from the flu shot.

The current flu shots are for the seasonal flu only. The vaccine for the H1N1 flu is still in development and not yet available.

As it has in past years, this year's vaccine contains Thimerosal, a mercury based preservative.

For more information about the flu and flu shots, talk to your doctor, visit the CDC's Website at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu or the Maine CDC Website at: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/maineflu .