Dallas County using mobile clinics to fight the flu

The flu continues taking a toll on North Texas with more than 100 deaths so far this season.

Denton County confirmed its eighth flu-related death on Monday. So far, Tarrant County has 28 flu-related deaths, Collin County has had 14 and Dallas County has had 62 deaths.

The Dallas County health department is doing everything it can to get flu shots to as many people as possible. One effort is their mobile clinics. They hope to make it easier for people to get access to the free flu shots.

Health officials gave free flu shots at a health fair at the Hilton Garden Inn in Duncanville on Tuesday. The pop-up clinic shows up for two hours to give people more protection against the flu, and then moves on to another location.

Health officials are worried the number of people getting sick has not peaked yet. For many of the folks who got flu shots on Tuesday, it was their first time taking the vaccination.

“These clinics are a new initiative that we are taking in order to get people to come out and get the shots because we feel that it’s not too late to get the flu shot,” said Ganesh Shivaramaiyer, the interim Dallas County Health and Human Services Director.

Doctors believe the flu could keep spreading for the next eight to ten weeks.

The next pop-up clinic will in Cedar Hill on February 19.