🩺 Free Flu Shots Until 4 Today, a Fridge Check for Hot Dogs and Sausage, and a Call for Blood Donors: Your Healthy Valley Report

Or: Roll Up a Sleeve Before Supper, Peek in the Meat Drawer, Retire Two Risky Kitchen Gadgets, Lend an Arm in Chattanooga and Keep the Water Glass Handy

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Some fall days are made for front-porch sitting: sunshine, a light breeze and not much on the calendar. The National Weather Service says this whole week in Dunlap looks like that, with sunny afternoons in the low to mid 70s and cool, foggy mornings in the 40s. So today’s health news comes in small, easy pieces you can handle between cups of coffee.

Here’s what’s in today’s report. Free Fight Flu TN shots are happening today, Tuesday, Oct. 20, until 4 p.m. Central at the Sequatchie County Health Department, and we’ve got what to do if you miss it. A Massachusetts company is recalling about 1.58 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats, including hot dogs, sausages, bacon and deli meats, shipped nationwide, so it’s worth a peek in the fridge. Federal safety officials say to stop using two kitchen gadgets: a certain pressure cooker and a line of air fryer ovens. Chattanooga’s blood bank says it has less than a day’s supply of O-negative blood, and a big drive starts tomorrow. UTC’s free MobileMOC clinic is in Grandview Thursday with a free diabetes class. And a Chattanooga doctor’s national honor for kidney stone care is a good nudge to keep the water glass full this dry, sunny week.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Free flu shots TODAY until 4 p.m. Central: Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap. Ages 6 months and up. No appointment, no insurance needed.
• Missed it? Medicare Part B covers a yearly flu shot at no cost when your provider accepts assignment. Find a pharmacy at vaccines.gov, or call the health department at 423-949-3619.
• Fridge check: Look for Kayem, Al Fresco or McKenzie hot dogs, sausages, bacon or deli meats and check them against the USDA recall list. Questions? 1-888-674-6854.
• Kitchen gadgets: Stop using a Power Quick Pot 6-quart pressure cooker, model Y6D-36, and Kalorik MAXX air fryer ovens with French doors.
• Give blood: Bloodanooga at UTC, Wednesday and Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Eastern (9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. our time).

💉 Last Call: Free Flu Shots in Dunlap Until 4 p.m. Today

This is a final reminder of what we’ve shared all week, checked again Tuesday. The Tennessee Department of Health’s Fight Flu TN day is today, Tuesday, Oct. 20. At the Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap (behind the Erlanger Sequatchie Valley emergency center), free flu shots run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central for anyone 6 months and older. The Sequatchie County Chamber’s calendar says no insurance and no appointment are needed. Just walk right in. Other nearby county health departments are taking part today too, and the state’s Fight Flu map at tn.gov/health/fightflu shows each site’s hours.

If you can’t make it by 4, that’s all right. Flu season is just getting started. The CDC’s most recent weekly report, for the week ending Oct. 10, said flu is still low but increasing in many areas. A few easy options:

• Pharmacies: Type your ZIP code into vaccines.gov to find pharmacies near you.
• On Medicare? Medicare.gov says Part B covers the seasonal flu shot, usually once a season, and you pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment.
• Your doctor or health department: Call your doctor’s office, or the Sequatchie County Health Department at 423-949-3619, about getting a shot another day. Today’s shots are the free ones; other days may cost something depending on your insurance.

What it means for you: It’s like the last hour at the fall yard sale. The good stuff is still on the table, so if you’re close by, swing in. At home, a flu shot helps protect the babies and grandparents in your life, who health officials say face the highest risk. At work, it can mean fewer sick days when winter comes. Business owners can post a quick note on the time clock: “Free flu shots until 4 today.” And the everyday habits never go out of style: wash your hands, cover your cough and stay home when you’re sick.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Department of Health: Fight Flu TN and site map) · Chamber calendar: FREE Flu Shots in Dunlap · Medicare: Flu shot coverage

🌭 Peek in the Meat Drawer: A Big Recall of Hot Dogs, Sausage, Bacon and Deli Meats

On Saturday, Oct. 17, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Kayem Foods Inc. of Chelsea, Massachusetts, is recalling about 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. The products may have gotten too warm while stored in a warehouse cooler that wasn’t holding the right temperature. FSIS says they were produced from about March 31 to Oct. 7, 2026, and shipped to stores and restaurants nationwide.

The good news: FSIS says there have been no confirmed reports of illness. Here’s how to check:

• Brands to look for: The company’s product list includes brands such as Kayem, Al Fresco and McKenzie, with items like hot dogs, chicken sausages, bacon, ham, turkey and deli meats.
• Look for these numbers inside the USDA inspection mark on the package: EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A or EST. M 9520. Then match the UPC against the full list on the FSIS recall page.
• If yours matches: Don’t eat it. Throw it away or take it back to the store where you bought it.
• Questions? Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 (1-888-MPHOTLINE), or Kayem customer service at 1-800-426-6100, Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern (6:30 a.m.–3 p.m. our time).

What it means for you: It’s like checking the oil before a long drive. It takes two minutes, and then you can quit wondering. At home, pull out any hot dogs, sausage links or lunch meat before the Halloween weekend cookouts and check the brand and numbers. At work, a church kitchen, a concession stand or a small diner can do the same quick check in the walk-in cooler. If you’re not sure, it’s fine to go with the old kitchen rule: when in doubt, throw it out.

👉 Read more (USDA FSIS: Kayem Foods recall) · Kayem Foods recall notice and product list

🍲 Two Kitchen Gadgets to Set Aside: A Pressure Cooker and an Air Fryer Oven

On Oct. 15, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued safety warnings about two countertop cookers. These are warnings, not recalls, which means there’s no refund being offered. CPSC is simply telling folks to stop using them.

• Power Quick Pot 6-quart electric pressure cooker, model Y6D-36 (imported by Tristar Products): CPSC says the lid can open while the pot is still under pressure, spraying hot food. CPSC has 24 reports of serious burns. About 393,000 were sold from about July 2018 to November 2023 at Walmart.com, Amazon.com, eBay.com and other stores. The model number is on a label on the back of the unit. CPSC says to stop using it and dispose of it, and not to sell or give it away.
• Kalorik MAXX air fryer ovens with French doors: CPSC says the doors can suddenly close on your arm while the oven is hot, causing burns. CPSC says to stop using them.

What it means for you: Think of it like a gate with a bad latch out by the pasture. It might work fine nine times out of ten, but you don’t want to be there the tenth time. At home, flip your pressure cooker around and read the label on the back; it only takes a second. If you’ve got a Kalorik air fryer oven with two glass doors, retire it to the curb. Small cafes and food trucks should check their back counters, too. And please don’t pass these along at a yard sale or thrift store, so they don’t end up in a neighbor’s kitchen.

👉 Read more (CPSC: Power Quick Pot warning) · CPSC: Kalorik MAXX air fryer oven warning · All CPSC recalls and warnings

🩸 Chattanooga’s Blood Bank Is Running Low: Bloodanooga Starts Tomorrow

This is an update on the blood drive we first told you about Oct. 15. Chattanoogan.com reported Monday that Blood Assurance, the nonprofit blood center that serves all Chattanooga-area hospitals, is facing a critical shortage of several blood types. It has less than a day’s supply of O-negative blood, with donations down and hospital requests up. That same supply can help folks from our area, too, when they’re treated at a Chattanooga hospital.

• When: Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Thursday, Oct. 22, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Eastern (9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Central).
• Where: The Tennessee Room at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
• Who can give: Ages 17 and up, or 16 with parental consent, at least 110 pounds and in generally good health. Bring a photo ID.
• Before you go: Eat an iron-rich meal, drink plenty of fluids and skip the caffeine.
• Thank-yous: Every donor gets a “Game Changers” T-shirt. Platelet, double red cell, AB plasma and O-negative whole blood donors qualify for a $25 e-gift card.

What it means for you: It’s like the church food pantry shelf getting bare right before the holidays. Nobody panics; folks just pitch in. If you’re healthy and headed to Chattanooga this week, an hour in the donor chair is a big gift. Employers can let a worker or two slip out for it. And if you can’t make it this week, Blood Assurance holds drives around the region all year, so check its schedule for one closer to home.

👉 Read more (Chattanoogan.com: Bloodanooga at UTC amid critical shortage) · Blood Assurance: Find a drive

🚐 Thursday in Grandview: A Free Clinic and a Free Diabetes Class

UTC’s free MobileMOC clinic for adults 18 and up is at the Grandview Community Center, 175 Emergency Road, Grandview, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Eastern (9 a.m.–1 p.m. our time). It offers wellness exams, screenings, sick visits and help managing ongoing conditions, with no insurance needed.

What’s new this time: UTC’s events calendar lists a free community health class on diabetes at the same Grandview visit, covering diabetes medicines, medicine safety and diabetes technology like glucose monitors, with games and prizes. The class is open to anyone. UTC’s listing shows two different start times, so call 423-425-1657 to confirm the class time and to book a clinic appointment. UTC says appointments fill up fast.

What it means for you: Managing diabetes is a lot like keeping a garden. A little tending every day beats a big rescue job later. If you or someone you look after has diabetes, this is a friendly, no-cost place to ask questions about your pills, your meter or a new monitor. Caregivers are welcome to come learn, too. Employers with folks working long shifts can pass along the number.

👉 Read more (UTC: Grandview diabetes class) · MobileMOC clinic calendar

💧 Sunny, Dry Week Ahead: Keep the Water Glass Full

A bit of good news from down the road: Chattanoogan.com reported Tuesday that Erlanger urologist Dr. Jessica Lange is the first physician in the nation to receive the HealthTronics Clinical Center of Excellence distinction for treating kidney stones with shock wave lithotripsy, a treatment that uses sound waves to break up stones. The honor is based on her patient outcomes and low retreatment rates.

It’s also a timely reminder, because this week is shaping up sunny and dry. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says drinking enough liquid, mainly water, is the most important thing you can do to prevent kidney stones. Unless you have kidney failure, many health professionals suggest six to eight 8-ounce glasses a day. NIDDK also says eating less sodium can help lower your chances of stones. Ask your doctor what amount is right for you, especially if you’re on water pills or have heart or kidney trouble.

What it means for you: Your body is like a creek. When the water’s moving, things don’t settle and pile up. At home, keep a full glass or jug where you’ll see it: by the coffee pot, on the tractor or next to the recliner. At work, a water cooler and a reminder to take a sip at every break helps everyone, especially folks raking leaves, hauling hay or working the fall festivals in the sun.

👉 Read more (Chattanoogan.com: Erlanger doctor first in nation for kidney stone care honor) · NIDDK: Eating, diet and kidney stones

📅 This Week’s Sticky Notes

Quick reminders for the calendar by the phone:

• Tuesday, Oct. 20 (TODAY): Free Fight Flu TN shots. Dunlap: 16939 Rankin Ave., until 4 p.m. Central.
• Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Thursday, Oct. 22: Bloodanooga at UTC, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern.
• Thursday, Oct. 22: MobileMOC free clinic and diabetes class, Grandview Community Center, 175 Emergency Road, Grandview, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern. Call 423-425-1657.
• Saturday, Oct. 24: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Year-round drop box at Dunlap Police, 119 Church St.
• Tuesday, Oct. 27: MobileMOC, Piggly Wiggly, 17619 State Hwy. 58 N., Decatur, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern.
• Friday, Oct. 30: CHI Memorial mobile lung screening bus, Dunlap Walmart, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 423-495-5864.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: Clocks fall back one hour (set them back Saturday night), and HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment begins.
• Monday, Dec. 7: Medicare Open Enrollment ends. Free help from TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044.

✅ Your Healthy Valley Checklist

• ✅ Close by? Get your free flu shot before 4 p.m. today at 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap.
• ✅ Missed it? Check vaccines.gov or call your pharmacy. On Medicare? It’s usually $0.
• ✅ Open the meat drawer. Look for Kayem, Al Fresco or McKenzie and the numbers 7839, 20935A or 9520 in the USDA mark.
• ✅ Turn your pressure cooker around. If the label says Y6D-36, stop using it.
• ✅ Own a Kalorik MAXX air fryer oven with French doors? Set it aside.
• ✅ Healthy and headed to Chattanooga? Give blood Wednesday or Thursday at UTC.
• ✅ Have diabetes or care for someone who does? Call 423-425-1657 about Thursday’s free Grandview class.
• ✅ Keep a full water glass where you’ll see it all week.

Practical rule: Check the label, then check the calendar. A two-minute look in the fridge and one phone call this week can save a lot of worry later.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist or a trusted health professional about what’s right for you and your family. In an emergency, call 911.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Health Glossary

• Fight Flu TN: Tennessee’s yearly day of free flu shots at local health departments. This year it’s Tuesday, Oct. 20.
• Accepts assignment: When a doctor or pharmacy agrees to take Medicare’s approved amount as full payment. For flu shots, that means you pay nothing.
• FSIS: The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which checks meat, poultry and egg products.
• Establishment number: The plant number printed inside the round USDA inspection mark on meat packages. It tells you where the food was made.
• Temperature abuse: When food that should stay cold gets too warm for too long, giving germs a chance to grow.
• Product safety warning: A CPSC notice telling people to stop using a product when the company hasn’t agreed to a recall.
• O-negative blood: A blood type that can be given to almost anyone in an emergency, which is why blood banks always need it.
• Lithotripsy: A treatment that uses sound waves from outside the body to break kidney stones into small pieces that can pass more easily.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is there still time to get a free flu shot today?

Yes, until 4 p.m. Central today, Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap. It’s for anyone 6 months and older, with no appointment or insurance needed.

I missed Fight Flu day. Where can I get a flu shot now?

Try your pharmacy (find one at vaccines.gov), your doctor’s office or the health department at 423-949-3619. Medicare Part B covers a yearly flu shot at no cost if your provider accepts assignment. Other insurance plans often cover it, too; ask before you go.

How do I know if my hot dogs or deli meat are part of the recall?

Look inside the USDA inspection mark for EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A or EST. M 9520, then match the UPC against the product list on the FSIS recall page. Brands on the list include Kayem, Al Fresco and McKenzie.

Has anyone gotten sick from the recalled meat?

FSIS says there have been no confirmed reports of illness. If you’re worried about an illness, contact your health care provider.

Can I get my money back for the pressure cooker or air fryer?

These are CPSC safety warnings, not recalls, so no refund is being offered through CPSC. CPSC says to stop using the products and not to sell or give them away.

Can I give blood if I’m older?

Blood Assurance’s drive lists a minimum age (17, or 16 with a parent’s consent), a minimum weight of 110 pounds and good general health. If you have questions about your own health or medicines, check with Blood Assurance before you go.

Who can go to the MobileMOC clinic?

The clinic is free for adults 18 and older, regardless of insurance. Health education classes are open to anyone. Call 423-425-1657 to schedule.

🔗 Other Resources

• Tennessee Department of Health: Fight Flu TN and location map
• Sequatchie County Chamber calendar: FREE Flu Shots, Oct. 20
• Dunlap Tribune: Health Department offers free flu shots
• CDC FluView: Latest weekly flu report
• Medicare.gov: Flu shot coverage
• Vaccines.gov: Find a pharmacy near you
• USDA FSIS: Kayem Foods meat and poultry recall
• Kayem Foods: Recall notice and product list
• USDA FSIS: All meat and poultry recalls
• CPSC: Power Quick Pot pressure cooker warning
• CPSC: Kalorik MAXX air fryer oven warning
• Chattanoogan.com: Bloodanooga at UTC this week
• Blood Assurance
• UTC: Grandview community diabetes class
• UTC MobileMOC: Clinic calendar
• Chattanoogan.com: Erlanger doctor honored for kidney stone care
• NIDDK: Eating, diet and kidney stones
• National Weather Service: Dunlap forecast
• DEA: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Oct. 24

🌻 A Glass of Water, a Look in the Fridge, and an Easy Week

A free shot before supper, a quick look at the meat drawer, two gadgets to set aside, a blood drive for those who can and a full water glass for everybody. None of it is cause for worry. It’s just good housekeeping for your health, the same way you’d sweep the porch before company comes. Pick the one or two that fit your household and let the rest wait its turn.

We’ll keep watching for clinics, screenings and helpful services so you don’t have to. Read Dunlap.Today and sign up for our newsletter for plain-English Valley news, and find local businesses anytime on Dunlap.Directory.