Cool fall weather has never been more welcome. Traditionally, the flu season officially starts this month. But don’t forget there are other respiratory illnesses floating around, such as RSV and COVID-19. There's lots you can do to protect yourself from respiratory illnesses. Our public health centers will soon be offering low-cost flu shots as well as the latest COVID-19 booster vaccines. If you have questions about the flu vaccine, check out this page. To find one of our public health clinics near you, call the Tarrant County Public Health Call Center at 817-248-6299.

Remember, it takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to become effective once it's in your body, so the sooner you get that shot, the quicker your protection kicks in.

As it is October, it's almost time for trick-or-treating! While it's always fun for kids to enjoy this time of year, there are some things parents need to consider. Besides the opportunity to acquire sacksful of candy -and the health concerns that come with gorging on sweets, there are safety concerns for trick-or-treaters. In one recent year, more than 5,000 people died while walking along roads; 26 percent of them happened after dark, and nearly 1/3 of deaths that happen from September - November occurred during the evening hours from 6 - 9 p.m.