PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Ford County is getting a head-start on flu season this year through the use of walk-in clinics.

The county’s Public Health Department will be offering vaccine clinics across Paxton and in the area to encourage people to get their annual flu shots. Based on their own research, along with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the department believes that nothing atypical is coming this sick season. They expect the return of the basic traditional flu.

Although the expectation is for the normal virus, Ford County Community Health Educator Kami Garrison said getting your flu shot can help limit potential health risks. 

“When somebody gets the flu, it can look very different for different people,” Garrison said. “So some people can get a minor strain of flu and just kind of feel crummy, but for other people, the flu can be very serious and can even lead to hospitalization. So, it’s a good thing to get vaccinated, just to prevent yourself from any of those things that could happen.”

Walk-in clinics will be open starting next Monday through mid-October. A schedule of clinics can be found below: