Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is offering a free way to protect your family from the flu and at the same time supporting the Houston Food Bank.

With the donation of a non-perishable food item to the Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, area residents 18 years of age or older will receive a free H1N1 vaccine. This is a way to serve the whole Fort Bend County community in multiple ways as residents get prevention from the flu and the Houston Food Bank gets donations to continue helping those in need.

Area residents can take advantage of this opportunity on February 18th from 9am-1pm in the atrium of the new hospital. No appointments are necessary but there is a limited supply of vaccinations. Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is located at 16655 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land, TX.

Flu season is upon us but it isn’t too late to take precautions. According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, “The H1N1 vaccine is safe, effective and the best way to prevent the flu. We urge all Americans to protect themselves and their families by getting the H1N1 flu vaccine.” While flu season generally only lasts until May, the H1N1 flu infected people last year from April to November. Sebelius also noted, “This is a challenging flu season for millions of Americans and their families and it’s not over yet.”

Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of CDC, was encouraging, “The window of opportunity to get the H1N1 vaccine is still open. We do not know how many more cases of flu there will be in the coming weeks and months, but we do know that the H1N1 faccine is the best way to protect yourself.”