Last flu season hit New Jersey hard, with more than 12,000 confirmed cases and 553 hospitalizations statewide by early January, according to NJ Spotlight News. Most of those hospitalizations were among seniors over 65. Now, with the 2026-2027 season approaching, the Livingston Health Department is offering three free walk-in flu clinics for adults.
Health experts recommend getting vaccinated by the end of October because it takes about two weeks to build protective antibodies, and flu season peaks between December and February. "They always say 'flu before boo,'" ABC News Medical Correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton said in a Sept. 15 segment. "The reason for that is to prime your immune system."
Livingston residents 18 and older can walk in at no cost to the Livingston Senior/Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave. The clinics are on the lower level. No appointment is needed, and vaccines are available while supplies last.
Two vaccine formulations are available, according to the township's calendar listing: the standard trivalent influenza vaccine and a high-dose trivalent version licensed for residents 65 and older. The department noted it has a limited supply of the standard vaccine.
The clinics span different days and hours to give residents flexibility. The Oct. 14 morning session runs 10 a.m. to noon, the Oct. 19 afternoon session runs 3:30 to 6 p.m., and the Nov. 3 clinic is the longest, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nationally, the 2025-2026 season accounted for about 32 million illnesses and 24,000 deaths, according to CDC data cited by ABC News. Essex County, home to Livingston and roughly 800,000 residents across 22 municipalities, has used GIS mapping to track flu transmission hotspots and staged clinics at transit hubs across the county, according to StateScoop.
The adult clinics are separate from the pediatric flu vaccine clinic the Health Department held in partnership with Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center on Tuesday, Oct. 6, which served children ages 6 months to 18 and required an appointment.
Residents who are homebound and want a flu vaccine at home can call the Health Department's Nursing Division at 973-535-7961, ext. 7108 or 7109. For questions about the adult clinics, call 973-535-7961, ext. 7108, 7109 or 7110.
Upcoming community dates:
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: Adult flu vaccine clinic, 10 a.m. to noon, Livingston Senior/Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave.
- Monday, Oct. 19: Adult flu vaccine clinic, 3:30 to 6 p.m., Livingston Senior/Community Center
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Adult flu vaccine clinic, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Livingston Senior/Community Center
