Residents asked to get flu shots; free flu shots to be available Nov. 17 in KCK

Mayor David Alvey, right, received a flu shot today from Veronica Villalobos, left, medical assistant at Mercy and Truth. The mayor urged residents to get flu shots. Free flu shots will be available Nov. 17 at the Mercy and Truth Medical Mission, 721 N. 31st, Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

by Mary Rupert

Mayor David Alvey today urged residents of Wyandotte County to get a flu shot, as he received his flu shot at Mercy and Truth Medical Mission in Kansas City, Kansas.

There was hardly a blink from the mayor as he received a flu shot today from Veronica Villalobos, medical assistant at Mercy and Truth.

Mayor Alvey urged residents to get a flu shot, take care of themselves and prevent the spread of the flu.

Mercy and Truth is promoting a free flu shot clinic on Saturday, Nov. 17, at its clinic at 721 N. 31st St., Kansas City, Kansas. This event is aimed at serving the uninsured.

At the clinic, 200 free flu shots will be given to the first 200 people who attend, according to Geofrey Kigenyi, executive director of Mercy and Truth Medical Missions.

At Mercy and Truth’s Warm Up Wyandotte event at 8 a.m. Nov. 17, there also will be 200 free turkeys given away, as well as 400 free coats.

Kigenyi said the Warm Up Wyandotte event is intended to keep the community healthy, warm and well fed.

He also said that for those who get a flu shot, if they get the flu later, it will be less severe.

Kigenyi said the Mercy and Truth facility on North 31st serves about 4,000 uninsured patients a year, and there is a sliding scale for patient payment, for those within 200 percent of the poverty level.