The Bryan County Health Department has flu vaccine available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is only recommending injectable flu shots this season. The health department offers shots for $29 and high dose flu shots — intended for those 65 and older — for $50.

Getting vaccinated against the flu is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. It takes about two weeks after getting a flu shot for the vaccine to provide the body protection against the flu. While getting the flu vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu, there are other things we can all do every day to prevent getting or spreading the flu:

*Avoid close contact with sick people.If you get sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.

*The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.

*While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

*Try to cough or sneeze into the corner of your elbow and not your hand or cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

*Wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

*Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

For more information, please call the Bryan County Health Department at (912) 653-4331 (Pembroke) or (912) 756-2611 (Richmond Hill) or go to www.gachd.org/bryan and click on the link under Bryan County Health Department Information.