Friends, neighbors, this just in: Mayor Menino and the Boston Public Health Commission are sponsoring the city's first free flu vaccination clinic, Oct. 26, 1-7 p.m. at the Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Haynes conference room, 2nd floor, Boston. It’s one block from the South Bay Shopping Plaza and across the street from the Hen House restaurant. No appointment necessary, but children must be 36 months or older to get vaccinated at the clinic. Bring your health insurance card, if you have one.

The best protection against influenza this flu season is vaccination. It is recommended that everyone 6 months of age and older get the flu vaccine this year. It is especially important for the following groups to be vaccinated because they are at high risk of getting sick with the flu or giving it to others who are at high risk:

• Pregnant women

• Children less than 5 years of age

• Seniors

• Anyone of any age with underlying health problems like heart disease, lung disease (including asthma), kidney disease, or otherwise healthy people who are morbidly obese (BMI ≥40 kg or 88 lbs/m2)

• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities

• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:

1. Health care workers

2. Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu

3. Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Other steps you can take to prevent the spread of flu include washing your hands, covering your cough, and staying home when you are sick. To find out more about flu vaccine myths and facts, please visit the Commission’s flu website at www.bphc.org/flu.

BPHC has resources and staff available to answer your questions. For more information, visit www.bphc.org or call (617) 534-5050.