JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie pharmacists are participating in a free flu vaccination clinic for seniors in the Jacksonville, Fla., area as part of a health fair hosted by ElderSource (Area Agency on Aging).

ElderSource said Wednesday that the event, to be held Oct. 4 at the Williams YMCA, is part of a new national campaign called Flu + You from the National Council on Aging (NCOA), which aims to help educate seniors, their caregivers and family members about flu prevention and flu vaccine options.

To ensure that seniors in all four quadrants of Jacksonville can get a flu shot, ElderSource is also hosting flu immunization clinics on Oct. 4 at the James Weldon Johnson YMCA, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministries (BEAM) and the Lane Wiley Senior Center.

Winn-Dixie is contributing 100 flu vaccinations at each Flu + You location, and the flu shots will be administered by Winn-Dixie pharmacists. As a part of the "Shield Yourself" campaign, Winn-Dixie pharmacies offer three options of the influenza vaccine, including the high-dose flu vaccine recommended for those 65 and older.

Each year in the United States, more than nine out of 10 flu-related deaths and more than six out of 10 flu-related hospitalizations occur in people over the age of 65, ElderSource reported. In addition, nearly 35% of adults 65 and older in Florida didn’t get a flu shot during the 2010-11 flu season.

"Vaccination is safe and effective and the best way to prevent influenza," Linda Levin, executive director of ElderSource, said in a statement. "In fact, an annual influenza immunization is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for everyone six months of age and older including older adults. So while it is helpful to take other preventative measures — such as covering coughs, washing hands and staying away from people who are sick to prevent the spread of influenza virus — these cannot replace vaccination as the best method of protection."