Flu season is in full swing. It only takes a minute to get a shot that will protect you from the worst of the virus, but have you done it yet?

Click here for more information on flu shots from the Centers for Disease Control.

Local flu shots

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health offers locally flu shots at these places,  but call first and make an appointment 216-201-2041.

You can walk into most drug stores for a shot without an appointment. Flu shots are offered at Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and Discount Drug Mart.

If you go to a county site, when registering, tell them if you want the pneumonia vaccine, flu vaccine or high-dose flu vaccine or both. Talk to your doctor before getting the high-dose flu or pneumonia vaccine. Wear a short-sleeved shirt and bring your Medicare and/or insurance cards with you.

Both the flu and pneumonia vaccines will be available at no cost to seniors with Medicare. For those not covered by Medicare, the cost is $31.99 for flu/high dose flu shots and $71.99 for pneumonia shots. 

Is your organization holding flu shots? Post the information in our events calendar to get the word out.

Flu? Here's What to Do

There's a difference between a common virus or cold and the flu, said Dr. Roy Seitz, director of the emergency department at St. John Medical Center. With a virus or cold, you'll have a runny nose, maybe a little sore throat, maybe a low-grade fever.

"You feel crummy, but you can function," Dr. Seitz said.

The flu is like all that in a knockout punch.

"It's much more intense," he said. "You're pretty much bedridden."

Symptoms include severe body aches, sometimes accompanied by bad headaches, and a high fever.

Quick medical treatment can alleviate the flu's misery. If you get to the doctor within 48 hours of your first symptoms, Seitz said, prescription medication commonly called Tamiflu can help shorten the length of flu symptoms.

"It's not a cure," he said. "It helps you get over the flu easier and faster."