FORT HOOD (Now designated Fort Cavazos), Texas – Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center is set to launch its annual community flu shot program October 30.

Beneficiaries can receive their flu vaccine at their medical clinic Monday through Friday from 9-11 a.m. and from 1-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

As part of the annual campaign, CRDAMC will host several flu shot roundups:

November 17 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Family Medicine Residency and Pediatric clinics.

December 1 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Clear Creek Pharmacy.

December 15 at the Family Medicine Residency and Pediatric clinics from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

On average, between 5 percent and 20 percent of the U.S. population develops influenza annually, leading to more than 200,000 hospitalizations from related complications, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) can vary from year to year and among different age and risk groups. The CDC reports that in general, the highest VE is among young healthy adults and older children, stating that the flu vaccine can prevent 66 percent or more influenza infections in young children, with even higher estimates for older children.

The CDC, the World Health Organization and other medical officials continually monitor influenza viruses and outcomes and are responsible for determining the composition of the flu vaccine to combat the flu viruses that research indicates are most likely to cause illness during the upcoming season.