HUTCHINSON, Minn. - Hutchinson Medical Center (HMC) is offering several flu shot clinics this fall at local schools and at HMC, with the goal of encouraging more parents to get their children protected from the seasonal flu.

The first clinic will be at HMC from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15. HMC will also offer vaccinations at four local schools. Thursday, Oct. 8, a flu shot clinic will take place at Park Elementary School in Hutchinson. Monday, Oct. 12, people can be immunized at the Hutchinson Middle School. Hutchinson High School will have the vaccine available Tuesday, Oct. 13.  Thursday, Dec. 3, HMC will offer vaccinations at West Elementary School in Hutchinson. Shots will be available from 4 to 7 p.m.

All clinics are open to the public. There will be no scheduled appointments, and vaccinations will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children age 6 months to 19 years get a flu vaccine.

The CDC also recommends the shot for people in contact with certain groups of children, including all health care workers, out-of-home caregivers of children under age 5, people who live with children younger than 5 years old, and people who have close contact with children of any age with a chronic health problem. For more information, contact the Hutchinson Medical Center at (320) 587-2020 or (320) 234-3290, or log on to www.HutchinsonMedicalCenter.com.