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College of Pharmacy offers two flu shot clinics, including drive-up clinic Oct. 5

Janel Shoun-Smith | 

flu shots drive up fall 2012

The Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy is offering two opportunities for the community to receive flu shots this fall, one with a convenient drive-up format allowing patients to get their shots without ever leaving their cars.

On Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on University Park Drive outside of the Burton Health Sciences Center (access is from Belmont Boulevard), members of the American Pharmacists Association’s Academy of Student Pharmacists will provide this year’s flu vaccine.

The cost is $20 – $5 less than many other providers – for the three-strain version of the flu vaccine. Immunizations can be provided for children as young as four years old. The Lipscomb flu clinic will also offer the high-dose vaccine for the elderly for $35 and the Thimerasol-free vaccine for patients who are pregnant or allergic to thimerasol for $30.

The drive-up option is particularly helpful for the elderly who may have difficulty walking, said Sarah Uroza, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and sponsor of the student pharmacist academy at Lipscomb. Last year more than 80 people took advantage of this convenient option, she said.

This year, student pharmacists will provide free blood pressure checks and blood glucose screenings on-site, to those who would like to get out and walk around during the 15-minute waiting period after the immunization is administered. Coupons and health information will also be available.

The second flu shot clinic will be held on Oct. 10 at the College of Pharmacy’s annual PharmFest event, featuring various health care information booths in Lipscomb’s Bison Square. The Oct. 10 clinic will offer the same three vaccine options for the same prices, but the immunizations will be administered in the Bennett Campus Center, requiring off-campus patients to park on campus and walk.

PharmFest will include the free blood pressure checks and blood glucose screenings again, but also a bone marrow registry sign-up, information on prescription drug abuse, samples of over-the-counter drugs, and products and other information on health care.

There will be about 40 Lipscomb student pharmacists involved in the flu shot clinics. All Lipscomb student pharmacists are certified to give vaccines and many already worked in retail pharmacies and have administered flu vaccines at on-campus clinics for the past three years.

The Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and prepares student pharmacists for work in community pharmacy, hospitals, specialty health care facilities and mental health facilities.