Mayor Tom Barrett and Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker have announced that the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) has been selected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), to pilot a new toll-free telephone helpline called Flu on Call^TM.

“We are honored that Milwaukee has been selected as one of two locations nationwide to test a system that will help our entire country respond in the event of a future public health emergency,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. 

Flu on Call^TM will establish a national network of call centers that provide information and free medical advice to callers during a severe influenza pandemic. Although there is no pandemic anywhere in the world at this time, the MHD has been selected to offer this service to residents of Milwaukee as part of a pilot project.

“In January, we will begin testing Flu on Call^TM to provide our community with information and advice during this year’s flu season,” said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. “We thank our broad network of community partners working to make this project possible, including Wisconsin Poison Control at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and IMPACT, the local provider of 2-1-1 information and referral services.”

Further information about the helpline will be released closer to the launch date.

As flu season continues, the MHD reminds all Milwaukee residents that it is not too late to get your flu vaccination. Flu vaccine remains widely available this year through local health care providers and retail pharmacies. City of Milwaukee Health Department clinics have a limited supply of flu vaccine available to Milwaukee residents on BadgerCare or those who are uninsured.

To find flu vaccine near you, use the Flu Vaccine Finder at www.milwaukee.gov/health.