There was a time when airports were known simply as places to a catch flight. These days a growing number of airports offer world-class shopping, fine dining, spas, wireless Internet access, even dinosaurs. So should you be surprised that many North American airports are now offering… flu shots? Nope.
A few weeks ago about a dozen airports across the country started offering no-appointment-needed influenza immunizations to jet-setting passengers. If you plan to fly in or out of airports in Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver, Newark, Las Vegas and Vancouver British Columbia you can get a flu shot right at the airport. Other cities, including Boston, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and New York offer flu shots at clinics on airport property or very close by.
The people who came up with the idea of administering shots in the same place where thousands of frequent flyers take off and land each day say it comes down to convenience. It makes sense. After all, what harried business traveler is going to make time to set up a doctor’s appointment when they need to be in Dubuque one day and Albuquerque the next? With the advent of the airport-flu shot program, stressed out travelers have a place to get immunized in between flights.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging everyone to get a flu shot as soon as possible this year; ideally in October or November. And, if you are a frequent flyer, what better place (besides a doctor’s office) to get the shot than an airport? Personally, after sitting next to a sniffling, sneezing, feverish seatmate on a stuffy cross-country flight I would run to the nearest flu-shot kiosk upon disembarking from the plane.
Most of the participating airports offer the service from Sunday through Friday. At Chicago’s O’Hare Airport alone, doctors estimate they will be administering more than 10,000 shots this year. At Denver International Airport, the Denver Health Clinic will offer flu shots at its year-round main terminal location and at stations elsewhere in the airport beginning November 1st. At Newark-Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C1, a local pharmacy is offering flu shots weekdays from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. for just $15. And at busy JFK and LAX the flu-shot clinics are open 24 hours a day seven days a week.
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