Agh, the benefits of having an influential area news website. Earlier this week, I was able to attend a great rock concert and an event that featured a number of music industry heavyweights. While those events might sound like a lot of fun, the most useful thing that came my way was an email from CVS which gave me the heads up to promote the drug store giving out flu shots at Cleveland area stores. After I wrote about the area stores who are offering the service, the good people at CVS offered a free flu shot at one of the stores and, considering I lived within walking distance to the store that was giving them out tonight, I decided to take them up on the offer. The pharmacist at the Berea CVS, Nancy Yates, was more than helpful to see that my needs were served in the store.

When I arrived where they were to be giving out the shots, I was surprised to see how efficient and organized the workers were. I had gone through the trouble of getting a flu shot at Marc's a few years back and had to wait in a line that seemed to take forever. Not so here, medical paperwork included it took no more than 10 minutes to get the shot and be on your merry way. Carol from Brook Park seemed been pleased with the experience. Her employer, Nationwide, provided the shot for free and she said that she was very happy with her experience at the store.

The workers who were performing the shots at the store, Nancy and Jan, were very pleasant and administered the shots like the pros that they are. The pair of nurses stated that they provide shots at a number of places during flu season including local senior centers so they obviously are not amateurs at this. Nancy told me that this particular flu vaccine that is being administered this year will help protect you against the Brisbane, Uruguay, and Florida versions of influenza which are the likely strains to be passed around this year.

Have you gotten your flu shot this year? The CDC recommends that everyone receive a flu shot, especially persons with chronic health problems such as asthma and diabetes and those who care for them and senior citizens. The flu shot at CVS will cost you $30 but is covered by many health insurance programs. You'll be a happy camper when your office has a number of call offs because of the flu and you seem invincible from it while everyone around you is getting ill.

Here are the dates that workers will be in CVS stores administering flu shots:

November 6:

Solon, 33840 Aurora Rd. (440) 248-5907 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

November 8:

Northfield, 10380 Northfield Road (330) 468-0132 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

November 10:

North Olmsted, 27713 Lorain Rd. (440) 716-5166 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

November 12:

Avon, 36008 Detroit Ave. (440) 937-4027. 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

November 14:

Warrensville Heights, 22909 Emery Road. (216) 518-3551 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM