ELKO, Nevada – 1,252 people received a free flu shot last Saturday at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital’s annual Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic. This was a twenty-five percent increase from last year’s event when 1,006 doses of flu vaccine were administered.

“This was a new record for us,” said Steve Simpson, hospital CEO. “It took a lot of teamwork to move that many people through the clinic in less than four hours. I’m very proud of what our team accomplished.”

As in previous years, NNRH staff and volunteers set-up a four lane clinic in the hospital’s parking lot. Participants could pull in, fill out their paperwork, get their shot and then be on their way, all without exiting their vehicle.

“We wanted to make getting your flu shot as quick and easy as possible,” Simpson explained. “It’s important that a large percentage of our population gets vaccinated before flu season begins. That’s why we hold this event each year. It really ties in with our hospital’s mission of Making Communities Healthier.”

Not only did the clinic provide the community with an opportunity to get vaccinated for free; it also gave the student nurses at Great Basin College the chance to earn clinical hours. First-year nursing students administered the majority of the flu shots under the watchful supervision of both their instructors and registered nurses from the hospital.

“We’re very grateful for our partnership with GBC,” Simpson stated. “This clinic allows the students to gain more real-world experience. It’s a win for everyone.”

The number of flu shots administered wasn’t the only record broken at the clinic. The amount of non-perishable food donated by participants also exceeded last year’s tally. In 2018, the hospital collected 1,862 lbs. of food. This year, the grand total was 2,193 lbs. The food was distributed between three local charitable organizations: Friends In Service Helping, Ruby Mountain Resource Center, and the Battle Born Veterans Club at GBC.

“Our community donated over one ton of canned food. That’s amazing,” Simpson exclaimed. “We live in a very generous town, and it’s our pleasure as a hospital to join the community in giving back.”

Staff and volunteers from NNRH, along with nursing students from GBC, pose at the annual Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic on Saturday.