Marion County Health Department flu-shot clinics begin Monday - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

It's flu shot time in Marion County. The health department's first flu-shot clinic is Monday, and there are nearly a dozen more planned until Mid-November. 

The fall weather is always a reminder that it's time to get a flu shot. The Center for Disease Control recommends that anyone should get a flu shot from the age of 6-months or older.

While it's not a required immunization for Marion County students, Dr. Virginia Caine believes every school-aged child and their parents should take the time to get a flu shot.

Influenza or the flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus. The flu can cause fever, sore throat, cough, headaches, fatigue, chills and muscle aches.

The Marion County Health Department Doctor tells us every year the strain changes. Doctor Caine believes an annual flu shot each fall will keep you from getting sick. In 2009, the country dealt with a flu epidemic: "60 million people in the US who got the flu, over 200K of them were hospitalized and 12K died," said Dr. Caine. 

The Marion County Health Department begins hosting flu shot clinics Monday across the city.

This year, you may notice a shorter, thinner needle.

The microneedle gives flu shots just under the skin, rather than deeper in the muscle like standard flu shots. Doctor Caine said this is comforting news for people who are afraid of needles: "It's very small. It's a intradermal needle used to give you the shot. It's less painful and really quick."

Be sure to have a list of your child's medical conditions or allergies. If a child is allergic to eggs, for example, they may not be able to get a flu shot.

Monday's clinic runs from 9:00 to 11:00 at Old Bethel United Methodist Church on East 21st Street. Shots cost fifteen-dollars for kids two-to-eighteen.

Flu shots are free for children under two. Medicare and Medicaid are both accepted.