While the height of flu season may be in January and February, Lawrence County residents will have access to the flu vaccine much sooner than that.

The Ironton City Health Department will offer the flu vaccination beginning Oct. 1 and the Lawrence County Health Department will offer it by the end of this month. The vaccine is $15 at either department.

This year health officials are encouraging everyone over 6 months of age to get vaccinated. At risk groups such as pregnant women, children younger than 5 and especially those younger than 2, people with chronic illnesses, those who live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities, health care workers, and those who care for children under the age of 6 months to be vaccinated sooner rather than later, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

People over 50 years of age are also encouraged to get the vaccines as soon they can.

“The senior citizens are the ones that get it the hardest,” Laura Brown, Ironton City Health Commissioner, said. “They can’t fight off the virus and their activity slows down.”

Last year the vaccines were very popular. The city health department provided about 400 on the first day they were available, Brown said. The second day, it provided about 320, and 200 were provided on the third day.

“After that everyday for about two weeks we had between 90 and 100 people,” Brown said.

Because the vaccine is grown in eggs, people with severe egg allergies should avoid getting the vaccine, the CDC recommends. People should also avoid being vaccinated if they have had a severe reaction to the flu vaccine, if they have developed Guillain-Barre syndrome within six weeks of getting the vaccine. Those with a moderate to severe illness with a fever should wait until they are well before getting vaccinated.

Two types of vaccines are available, a nasal spray and a shot. The nasal spray consists of a live flu virus, while the flu shot contains a killed flu virus.

The nasal spray is recommended for healthy people between the ages of 2 and 50.

Both types of vaccines protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu strain and two other flu strains.

“We hope that people will take advantage of it being readily available to them,” Mary Holfzapfel, vaccine coordinator for the county health department, said. “It’s just a part of having a good health plan.”

The health departments are located in the same building at 2122 S. Eighth St., Ironton.