On Thursday, September 10, from 10 AM to noon, Lake Sunapee Region VNA and Hospice (LSRVNA) will offer a community Flu Clinic at the Andover Town Hall for individuals 19+ years of age. LSRVNA will bill Anthem/BCBS, MVP, Harvard Pilgrim, Medicaid, Medicare, and Medicare Replacement Plans. Please bring your ID cards. If paying with cash or check, the cost is $25.

The Centers for Disease Control remind us that there is no live flu virus in flu shots, and that flu shots do not cause the flu. Further, there are many flu viruses, and they change from year to year.

Each year a new vaccine is made to protect against three or four viruses that are likely to cause the flu in the current season. Even when the flu vaccine doesn’t exactly match these viruses, it can still provide some protection.

It takes about two weeks for protection to develop after vaccination; protection lasts through flu season, which is typically October through May. For more information, call LSRVNA at 526-4077. For a full list of clinics, visit LakeSunapeeVNA.org.