Banner Health offers community flu shot clinics
With fall officially here, it’s time to start thinking about flu season. Banner Health Community Wellness will provide a number of community flu shot clinics for those ages 4 and older in Larimer and Weld counties starting this week and running through November. Similar to last year, the nasal flu mist will not be available at the clinics this year, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined the mist demonstrated minimal effectiveness in recent years.
“It’s important for everyone 6 months of age and older to get a flu vaccine every year before flu activity begins in
their community,” said Roxane Conant, community and worksite wellness senior manager at Banner Health. “It is
especially important for individuals – such as young children and older adults – who are at high risk for developing
complications due to the flu to get their vaccines early and take extra precautions, such as hand hygiene, staying
home when sick and covering the nose when coughing or sneezing.”
Although peak influenza activity in the United States normally occurs between December and March, the CDC
recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, if possible.
Here are five things people should know about the flu vaccine:
Doesn't cause the flu: The flu vaccine cannot cause the flu because it is not a live vaccination. If exposed to the flu prior to developing immunity from the vaccination, you may develop flu symptoms but will likely have a less severe illness.
One will do it: You only need to get the flu vaccine once per season. There is no benefit to receiving another vaccine later in the season. The shot is effective for the entire duration of flu season.
Alternatives available: Flu vaccines are available egg free and Thimerosal (preservative) free.
Important news for seniors: There is a high-dose vaccine available for those 65 years of age and older. Recommended for most: Flu vaccine is recommended for all persons 6 months of age and older.
From Oct. 1, 2016 – May 31, 2017, McKee Medical Center in Loveland and Banner Fort Collins Medical Center in Fort Collins had 40 inpatient and 187 outpatient positive flu tests. North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley had 88 inpatient and 255 outpatient positive flu tests.
According to the CDC, people at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women,
people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease, and people 65 years and
older. Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk
people to keep from spreading flu to them. Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness,
but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for infants should be vaccinated instead.
Banner Health community flu shot clinics are open to the public. Cost is $35 for a Flu Shot. Tdap and Td vaccines
will also be available. Medicare Part B will be billed. For more information regarding the upcoming flu shot clinics,
please call (970) 810-6633.
Community Flu Shot Events:
Wednesday, Sept. 27 7 AM—9 AM N. Colo Med Ctr Entrance 6 1801 16th St. Greeley
Monday, Oct. 2 10 AM—11 AM Windsor Rec Center 250 11th St. Windsor
Wednesday, Oct. 4 7 AM—9AM McKee Conf. & Wellness Ctr 2000 Boise Ave. Loveland
Thursday, Oct. 5 11 AM– 1 PM Farmers Bank 110 1st St. Ault
Thursday, Oct. 5 5:30 PM– 8:30 PM Spirit of Women Event Lowe’s 2400 47th Ave. Greeley
Monday, Oct. 9 8:30 AM—11 AM N. Colo Med Ctr Entrance 6 1801 16th St. Greeley
Monday, Oct. 9 10 AM—11:30 AM Greeley Senior Center 1010 6th St. Greeley
Wednesday, Oct. 11 4 PM—5:30 PM Eaton Town Hall 223 1st St. Eaton
Monday, Oct. 16 11 AM—12 PM PlaƩeville Community Center 508 Reynolds Ave. PlaƩeville
Tuesday, Oct. 17 9 AM—11 AM Farmers Bank 713 Lemay Ave. Fort Collins
Tuesday, Oct. 17 9:30 AM—12 PM N. Colo Med Ctr Entrance 6 1801 16th St. Greeley
Wednesday, Oct. 18 7:30 AM—9 AM Johnstown Family Physicians 222 Johnstown Center Dr. Johnstown
Wednesday, Oct. 18 7:30 AM—9 AM Banner Health Clinic 401 10th St. Berthoud
Wednesday, Oct. 18 10 AM—11:30 AM Greeley Senior Center 1010 6th St. Greeley
Wednesday, Oct. 25 7 AM—9 AM N. Colo Med Ctr Entrance 6 1801 16th St. Greeley
Wednesday, Nov. 1 7 AM—9AM McKee Conf. & Wellness Ctr. 2000 Boise Ave. Loveland
Wednesday, Nov. 8 7 AM—9 AM N. Colo Med Ctr Entrance 6 1801 16th St. Greeley
Wednesday, Nov. 8 Tuesday, 11 AM—1 PM Evans Community Center 1100 37th St. Evans
Wednesday, Nov. 15 Wednesday 7:30 AM—9 AM Banner Health Clinic 401 10th St. Berthoud
Wednesday, Nov. 22 7 AM—9 AM N. Colo Med Ctr Entrance 6 1801 16th St. Greeley
PRICES:
Flu Shot: $35
Tdap: $65
Td: $45
ACCEPTING: Cash, Check, Credit Card & Medicare Part B.
About Banner Health
Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. The
system owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine,
academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of
other services; including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a
nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming.
For more information, visit
Banner Fort Collins to introduce 3D mammography New unit will make mammography available to Banner patients locally
In response to consumer requests for mammography services locally, Banner Fort Collins Medical Center has added mammography including technology for 3D screening mammography later this fall. This latest technology can improve care for women and increase efficiency, while offering the convenience of having services close to home. The first screening appointment will be Oct. 11.
“We are pleased to be able to offer the latest technology here at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center so Fort
Collins consumers who want to receive service from Banner Health can do so without leaving town,” said Sandra
Budde, director of medical imaging.
Services will be available 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Thursday.
Consumers who are over the age of 40 may be seen without a written physician order and will be asked to
provide the name of a referring physician so the results can be shared with that provider. Consumers may begin
scheduling appointments in October by calling (970) 810-6070.
3D Mammography
The new low-dose 3D mammography system produces special images that allow radiologists to better view
breast tissue. The X-ray arm sweeps in a slight arc over the breast, taking multiple images in just seconds. A
good analogy for 3D mammography is like thinking of the pages in a book. Looking at the book, the internal
contents of the pages can’t be seen. But when opened up, a book can be leafed through, page-by-page, seeing
everything between the covers.
· 3D tomosynthesis images have been found to identify 40 percent more invasive cancers than 2D alone.
· The Hologic 3D Mammography Imaging System improves the radiologist’s ability to view asymmetric
densities, distortions and smaller masses, resulting in earlier diagnosis.
· 3D Mammography has been shown to reduce false positives and the need for patients to undergo
additional imaging by 20 to 40 percent.
· The 3D mammography unit can accommodate nearly double the amount of patients, making scheduling
more convenient.
Banner Fort Collins Medical Center is a nonprofit, acute-care hospital offering emergency services, medical
imaging, surgery, intensive care, obstetrics, and medical/surgical beds equipped with telemedicine technology. It
is part of Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country with 28 hospitals located
in six states. For more information, please visit www.BannerHealth.com/FortCollins
