8,000 children in the Quad Cities will receive flu vaccinations for free.
That's thanks to the Genesis Foundation's "Flu-Free Quad Cities Campaign," which is in its 13th year. Since its launch in 2007, the campaign has vaccinated over 90,000 children at their schools.
Angie Kendall, Senior Development Officer for the Genesis Foundation, says young children are particularly susceptible to the flu.
"Flu spreads very quickly and easily amongst young children, so by going into the elementary schools, we provide free flu shots. So, everyone is eligible for them, and we also remove the barrier of parents having to take off work and leave school and get to a doctor's appointment, because they're done right in the school day. So, we're able to protect thousands of people and remove all barriers from getting them."
The flu shots are provided at no cost with parental consent. Funding comes from GreenState Credit Union, the Quad Cities River Bandits, the Genesis Foundation, and private donations.
Donations are accepted at give.genesishealth.com/ffqc.