Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the Camden County Health Department
The Board of Commissioners has scheduled 13 locations for the 2023 Seasonal Influenza Immunization Program. As is the tradition, the program always begins at the annual Senior Health Fair that was held on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at the Voorhees Town Center.
The flu sickens thousands of people each year and it can be a deadly virus in extreme cases. However, we can avoid this illness by getting the flu shot and our Health Department is here to help. Being up to date on your flu shot can protect you from getting seriously ill while also protecting those around you this flu season.
The launch of the flu shot program is traditionally coordinated with the senior health fair because men and women ages 65 and older are among the “high priority” groups for annual shots. Seniors receiving Medicare should bring their identification cards with them.
Pregnant women and chronically ill people are other high priority groups. Flu shots are also recommended for people with weakened immune or cardiovascular systems, or with chronic metabolic diseases, renal dysfunction or blood disorders. Children aged 9 and older must be accompanied by an adult; those under the age of nine are not included in the program.
Children under age 9 need two shots, a month apart, and should be seen by a pediatrician. For uninsured children, call CamCare at (856) 541-9811 or the Bellmawr Health Center at (856) 931-2700.
The Camden County Health Department will be administering flu shots at the following locations:
• Wednesday, Oct. 11
o Rutgers University Camden, 326 Penn Street, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 13
o Gloucester Township Senior Community Center, 1261 Chews Landing Road, Blackwood, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 16
o Bellmawr Senior center, 29 East Browning Road, Bellmawr, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 18
o Cherry Hill Township, 820 Mercer Street, Cherry Hill, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 20
o Magnolia Community Center, 425 Brook Avenue, Magnolia, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Monday Oct. 23
o Cold Springs Gymnasium, 1194 Market Street, Gloucester City, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 24
o Branches at Centerville, 1700 South 9th Street, Camden, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 25
o Stratford Senior Citizen Center, 302 Union Avenue, Stratford, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 28
o Bud Double Senior Center, 53 Cooper Folly Road, Winslow, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 30
o Harry Williams Community Center, 2 Broadway, Runnemede, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 2
o Scottish Rite Ballroom, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For other information, contact the county Department of Health and Human Services at (856) 374-6365 or visit www.camdencounty.com/flu.
If you have any other questions about Camden County services, please call me at (856)225-5575 or email me at Virginia.Betteridge@CamdenCounty.com. Also, you can like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/camdencountynj and follow us on Twitter @camdencountynj