HARRISBURG – The Department of Health will offer free flu and Tdap vaccines on weekdays during the 2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg.
The vaccines will be available to the public beginning Monday, Jan. 10 through Friday, Jan. 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
The Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) vaccine is recommended as a one-time substitute for a Td booster, which is needed every 10 years.
The flu vaccine is recommended for people over six months of age. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive either vaccine, but appointments are not necessary.
This year, the DOH will be featured in the Commonwealth Commons, an effort by all state agencies to make their resources, information and services more easily accessible to visitors.
The Commonwealth Commons is located in the newly renovated Maclay Street lobby area, just off the Main Hall.
The department will also provide information on skin cancer, emergency preparedness and response, organ donation, fish consumption advisories, the prevention of hospital-acquired infections and lead poisoning and an interactive puppet show for youth about the harms of substance abuse. Additional vendors will include health and wellness organizations from across the state.
For Farm Show visitors wishing to donate blood, the Central PA Blood Bank will also be in the Commonwealth Commons area on Jan. 14 and 15. Visit the DOH online at www.health.state.pa.us.
The 2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural event in the nation, featuring nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 290 commercial exhibitors. The show opened Jan. 8 and will run through Jan. 15 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. Admission is free and parking is $10; visit www.farmshow.state.pa.us for details.