Protect yourself with a flu shot

Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death.

The Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (Maine CDC) notes that while anyone can get sick from the flu, certain people are at greater risk for serious complications from the flu, including:

• older people
• young children
• people with chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, neurologic conditions, and certain other long-term health conditions
• pregnant women

MaineGeneral wants to keep you safe during flu season. Getting your annual flu shot is an important way to protect yourself and others from the flu, and we’re offering several convenient ways to get your flu shot!

If you are a MaineGeneral primary care adult patient:

• You can get your shot at your practice.
• You must call your practice to reserve your spot.

View the list of MaineGeneral primary care practices with phone numbers

If you are not a patient of one of MaineGeneral’s primary care practices, you can get your flu shot on a walk-in basis at MaineGeneral Express Care, in Augusta, Gardiner, Waterville and Winthrop.

Children can receive flu vaccinations at their primary care practice. MaineGeneral proudly continues to provide free flu vaccinations in most local schools.

In addition to getting a flu shot, the Maine CDC urges everyone to take the following actions to prevent the spread of both the flu and the COVID-19 virus:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, but especially after coughing and sneezing. Alcohol-based hand gels also can be used.
• Avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes.
• Get vaccinated.
• Avoid contact with sick people. If you are at high risk for complications, you may want to avoid large crowds.

If you have the flu:

• Stay home if you are sick, until you are fever-free for a full 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medicine.
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or into a tissue. Throw the tissue away.
• Although most people can stay home to recover without seeing a healthcare provider, it is possible for healthy people to develop severe illness from the flu. Anyone with the flu should seek medical attention for:
  • Dehydration
  • Trouble breathing
  • Getting better, then suddenly getting a lot worse
  • Any major change in condition