The City of Milwaukee's Health Department will be offering a new toll-free telephone helpline called Flu on Call during this winter's flu season. 

Flu on Call 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.

“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. 

“In January, we will begin testing Flu on Call 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. In the meantime, to find flu vaccine near you, use the Flu Vaccine Finder at www.milwaukee.gov/health.