Dallas County is offering free vaccinations to combat a rising outbreak of flu.
County health officials are still tabulating the latest figures, but they said the number of confirmed cases increased substantially in just the past week, so they responded with free inoculations.
"It's really to encourage people to get their vaccines here without any concern for cost," said Dr. Wendy Chung, of the Dallas County Health Department.
Chung said the flu can be deadly.
Several visitors to the health department clinic Friday were planning to get shots even before learning of the free program ,and said they were pleasantly surprised to about the free inoculations.
"I get one every year," Rod Cook said. "I've never had the flu, so I feel like I must be doing something right."
"It's good to get it free, because with the economy the way it is, we think about money now," Angie Meszaros said.
More than 60 cases of the flu have been reported at Southern Methodist University.
The Dallas County Health Department provided about 1,000 vaccinations there this week.
It has 1,500 doses remaining for the rest of the season.
They are free while supplies last, Monday though Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dallas County Health Department clinic at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway in Dallas.
Chung urges everyone to get a flu shot either from the health department or their private doctor.
"The vaccine is our best-known means of prevention against coming down with the flu," she said.
