Patton Clinic celebrates anniversary with free flu shots
CASEY MCCARTHY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 12 months AGO
Luke Groff looks away as volunteer Patton Clinic Medical Asst. Brenda Schwendeman gives him his flu vaccine at the Free Flu Shot Clinic on Friday afternoon in Moses Lake.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald
Left, Milton Miller, holds out his arm as volunteer Lloyd Steven administers the flu vaccine at the Free Flu Shot Clinic at Samaritan Clinic on Patton in Moses Lake.
Left to right,Beatriz Lucio and her two daughters, Breanna and Natalie, check in with Misty Aguilar at the Free Flu Shot Clinic on Friday afternoon on Patton Boulevard in Moses Lake.
Lloyd Stever, a volunteer and Pharmacy Director at Samaritan Hospital, gives Milton Miller, left, his flu shot at the Free Flu Shot Clinic at Samaritan Clinic on Patton on Friday afternoon in Moses Lake.
The Samaritan Clinic on Patton Boulevard marked its first anniversary, last Wednesday, with a free flu shot event Friday afternoon.
Lloyd Stever, pharmacy director at Samaritan Hospital, volunteered on Friday afternoon to help administer flu shots at the clinic.
Stever said it is more important to get the shot this year for extra protection due to COVID-19.
“The more you get sick, the more your immune system is challenged, and COVID really challenges your immune system,” Stever said.
He said it was “fantastic” to have the free flu shots available because the flu still harmfully affects numerous people every year. And, getting as many people vaccinated against the virus as possible can help protect the more high-risk populations.
As people tend to stay indoors more during the winter, Stever encouraged people to continue wearing their masks in public and to try and avoid going out unless they had to.
Misty Aguilar, marketing director with Samaritan Hospital, was assisting people as they came into the free flu shot clinic on Friday, handing out “goodie bags” to everyone who came in. Eighty-three free flu vaccinations were done on Friday, she added.
Aguilar said people were asking about the flu shots before the clinic opened up its doors on Friday afternoon. She said that kind of response was exciting and she hoped it could help out anyone who might have been struggling in the last few months.
“With COVID, there are people that might be out of work, or a single income, and it’s nice to have that covered and not an additional expense for their family,” Aguilar said “They won’t have to choose between getting vaccinated and something their family needs.”
As the facility marks its one-year anniversary, Aguilar said it has been great having a care facility for people on this side of Moses Lake.
“There isn’t any care on this side so I think it’s very important, and a lot of the people that visit Patton Clinic will come on foot, or they will take the bus,” Aguilar said. “The bus stop is right there, so I think that’s really great.”
Casey McCarthy can be reached via email at cmccarthy@columbiabasinherald.com.
