The Liberty County Health Department has announced that it has flu vaccine available.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending only injectable flu shots this season. The health department offers flu shots for $29 and high dose flu shots — made to better protect those 65 and older — for $50.

Experts say that getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your family and your community from the flu.

Getting vaccinated against the flu is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. It takes about two weeks after getting a shot for the vaccine to provide the body protection against the flu. While getting the vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu, there are other things you can do 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, 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, call the Liberty County Health Department at 912-876-2173 or go to http://www.gachd.org/liberty and click on the link under Liberty County Health Department Information.