Flu season has returned, and local clinics and the health department say vaccines are plentiful.

“There are no problems with getting flu shots this year and the problem last year was that the strains didn’t match exactly,” said Liz Sharlot, communications director of the Mississippi State Department of Health. “It was a problem at a national level. Your best protection against the flu is getting the flu shot, which is 90 percent effective. At 6 months of age you should start vaccinating.”

In 2007, 36,000 deaths nationwide and 67 in Mississippi were attributed to flu and pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The cost of flu shots varies from $10 to $102 without insurance.

Clinics and departments offering shots include: The Street Clinic, Vicksburg Clinic, Family Medicine Clinic, River Region Medical Center, Port Gibson Medical Clinic and Mission Primary Clinic.

“Most insurance providers cover the cost for a flu shot,” said River Region Medical Center spokesman Allen Karel. For more information on the flu, call 1-866-458-4948 or click here