The Boston Public Health Commission began its flu vaccination clinic Wednesday at Boston City Hall.
The clinic was aimed at preparing residents in advance for the impending flu season and slowing the spread of the disease through the widespread vaccination of residents.
The staff administered 361 vaccinations over the course of the day, BPHC director of communications Erin Curran wrote in an email. The clinic was staffed by 15 BPHC staff members, four volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corps and nine staff members from Shaw’s Osco Pharmacy, who helped out with administrative assistance, vaccinators and vaccines, she wrote.
Jennifer Lo, medical director at BPHC and an instructor of family medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine, said that both employees working at City Hall, including Mayor Martin Walsh, and members of the public walked in and got vaccinated.
“The idea was to put a clinic in a location where it’s low-barrier so that people will take advantage of the opportunity and then not put it off,” Lo said. “And so, I think having it in the City Hall was very advantageous because there’s a lot of people who work in the building.”
Lo said anyone who gets the flu vaccination is helping their community.
She also said, while attendees of the clinic were encouraged to bring their insurance information if they had it, the clinic also gave free vaccines to people without health insurance.
“The more people that get the flu vaccine, the less likely you’re going to get the disease and becoming contagious and spread it to someone else,” Lo said. “So, I think just promoting the flu vaccine amongst residents is really important. And then, also, giving the opportunity for anyone to get the flu vaccine regardless of insurance reduces barriers to getting a vaccine.”
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Chris Busch, 50, of Jamaica Plain, attended the clinic to get vaccinated. Because he is a City employee, he said he attended the clinic because it occurred in his workplace.
“I just want to avoid getting sick, so it’s easy and convenient to do and hopefully keeps me healthy throughout the winter months,” Busch said. “You don’t have to leave work to get a shot, so it makes it easier.”
Stacey Kokaram, director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness in the BPHC, said her commission hosts the public clinic because it is crucial that everyone gets their flu shot.
“There are a lot of deaths annually from the flu and a lot of illness from the flu every year,” Kokaram said, “so we try to get people vaccinated and protected as much as possible.”
Kokaram said BPHC tries to organize flu clinics around the city every year. She said local community health centers are also strong partners that are always able to offer the flu vaccination to their patients and the public.
Leah Giambarresi, division pharmacy manager at Osco Pharmacies, said the pharmacy tries to get involved with the communities it serves by partnering with the City and local organizations to increase accessibility to these types of vaccines.
“We know that countrywide vaccination rates aren’t where they should be,” Giambarresi said, “so anything that we can do to help, now that pharmacists are able to give immunizations, we like to get out in the forefront and make sure that people can easily get them.”
Christine McCrorey, 53, said, as a City employee, she comes to the clinic every year to get her flu vaccination and thinks it is easily accessible.
“I think it probably encourages people to get them,” the Brighton resident said at the clinic, “because I think it’s more convenient than having to go to your doctor to schedule an appointment.”
Michael Conneely, 45, of West Roxbury, said that because he is also a City employee, it was more convenient for him to go to the clinic Wednesday than another location, such as at a pharmacy or local hospital.
“You know, it’s in the building,” Conneely said. “I don’t have to trek across in the weather this time of year to get to the hospital.”
Lo said BPHC is planning on having more clinics in the future, with some potentially set up at early voting locations for the midterm elections.
Ayodele Abinusawa contributed to the reporting of this story.
