New Windham Facilities Helping Residents During Flu Crisis

With the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reporting elevated flu activity across the country, new Windham facilities are fully stocked with vaccinations while other locations continue to experience shortages.

"We are encouraging people who have not yet been vaccinated to come in and get vaccinated," said Susan Chadwick, representative from Derry Medical Center at 49 Range Road.

Derry Medical Center was previously operating in Derry and Londonderry before opening its new Windham location at Castle Commons last year.

Chadwick said that call volume has increased for all three locations by 25 percent since last month.

On Monday, the business received 1,500 calls as compared to the December average of 900. Last week, the call center received 6,000 calls.

A central call center for the company makes appointments for patients at any of the three locations.

"Our appointments pretty much have been full in Windham as well," Chadwick said, adding that last week the Windham location saw 120 patients each day for both regular visits and nurse visits for flu shots.

Chadwick said that same-day appointments are also available despite high call volumes and schedules filling up.

She added that Derry Medical Center has a great relationship with ConvenientMD, Windham's newest urgent care center around the corner at 125 Indian Rock Road.

The urgent care center is great with referring patients to Derry Medical Center if they do not have a primary care provider.

Dr. Mark Hampers of ConvenientMD said that his facility is also well-stocked with flu shots.

"That may change as you are well aware – the flu is out of control right now," he said."

"We're seeing a tremendous increase from people who are wishing to be vaccinated," Hampers added. "We're trying to encourage everyone to be vaccinated unless they had a previous adverse reaction to the flu vaccine."

He said that patients have also sought out ConvenientMD from Salem, Derry and Londonderry.

Hampers added that yesterday, the facility saw 62 patients, with 10 of those coming for flu shots. Another day saw a total of 27 people.

Hampers called the current epidemic the worst he has seen in his career.

Those with insurance can get vaccinated for free at ConvenientMD while those without insurance will see a charge of $15.

CVS Pharmacy, which along with Osco held down the fort on flu shots in Windham before the construction of ConvenientMD and Derry Medical Center, is currently out of flu shots.

A pharmacist at the business, which is located at 1 Wall St., said that they are hoping to get more in stock on Wednesday or Thursday.

An estimated 25,000 people die of influenza complications, and more than 200,000 are hospitalized, each year in the United States. The CDC recommends that everyone who is at least 6 months of age get an annual flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available, especially those at high-risk of flu complications.

A new flu vaccine is needed every year because flu viruses are constantly changing. The flu vaccine is formulated each year to keep up with the flu viruses as they change. Getting vaccinated each year is the best protection against influenza throughout the flu season.