The Liberty County Health Department now has injectable flu vaccine available.

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.

• Anyone with flu-like illness should 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 the elbow instead of in hands or cover the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the tissue in the trash when finished with it.

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

• Avoid touching 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 or to download the consent form ahead of time, go to www.gachd.org/liberty and click on the Flu Vaccination link under Liberty County Health Department Information.