County health department offering free flu shots at Riverhead library Tuesday

Free flu shots will be offered tomorrow at Riverhead Free Library from 1 to 3 p.m.

The immunizations are being provided by Suffolk County following the declaration by Gov. Andrew Cuomo of a public health emergency in New York.

County Executive Steve Bellone and announced the initiative Friday afternoon. Residents are asked to call 631-787-2200 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to set up an appointment for their shot.

Immunizations are also being offered on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the H. Lee Dennison Building Plaza, 100 Veterans Memorial Building in Hauppauge.

All residents six months of age and older who have not already obtained their flu shots are urged to do so as soon as possible, said Suffolk County health commissioner Dr. James Tomarken.

The governor on Thursday directed the state health commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker to authorize emergency assistance funding to counties to help fund expanded access to flu vaccines statewide.

There were 15,753 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases reported to the New York State Department of Health and 2,349 New Yorkers hospitalized with confirmed influenza in the week before the governor’s announcement. These numbers were again the highest weekly numbers in both categories since reporting began in 2004 and exceed the previous week’s record high 11,683 confirmed cases and 2,221 hospitalizations, according to the governor’s office.

As of Feb. 3, 52,567 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza have been reported this season and 11,802 people have been hospitalized with influenza. There have been three pediatric flu-related deaths in New York State, the governor’s office said in a press release.

Flu shots are available for residents who are age two and older at local pharmacies and for everyone age six months and older at pediatricians’ and healthcare providers’ offices.

To find out where you can get a flu vaccine near you visit: Flu Vaccine Finder.