NORWAY – Stephens Memorial Hospital is not holding any public flu shot clinics this season, in order to reserve vaccine for those at highest risk.

SMH, with guidance from the Maine Bureau of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommends that people within the following priority groups seek vaccination:

• Adults aged 65 years and older.

• All children aged 6-23 months.

• People aged 2-64 years with underlying chronic lung or heart disorders including heart disease and asthma.

• All women who will be pregnant during influenza season.

• Persons aged 2-64 years with chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes), kidney diseases, blood disorders (such as sickle cell anemia), or weakened immune systems, including persons with HIV/AIDS.

• Children and teenagers aged 6 months to 18 years who are on chronic aspirin therapy.

• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

• Household members and out-of-home caregivers of infants under the age of 6 months. Children under the age of 6 months cannot be vaccinated.

Anyone in these priority groups should contact their primary care physician. Influenza vaccines will not be available through outpatient visits to the Emergency Room.

For those who are healthy and between ages 2 and 64 years old, Stephens Memorial Hospital recommends they not get vaccinated this year at all or defer a flu shot for now.

Vaccination is not the only way to help prevent the flu this season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends some simple actions to help protect from getting sick:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• When are sick, people should keep their distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

• If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when sick.

• People should cover their mouths and noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

• Wash hands often.

• Avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth – germs can often spread this way when a person touches something that is contaminated.

• Get plenty of sleep, engage in physical activity, manage stress, drink water and eat nutritious food.