The clinic made its first stop at downtown Louisville’s Food Truck Wednesday event, where health workers administered 16 flu shots. The city plans to take the unit to workplaces, schools, festivals, senior living communities and other public gatherings, aiming to make vaccination easier for people who have difficulty fitting clinic visits into busy schedules.

“We can go out into the community and remove any barriers,” said Connie Mendel of Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness.

The city bought the mobile clinic with support from a $200,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is equipped with refrigeration and medical equipment for storing and administering vaccines outside a traditional health clinic. In addition to flu shots, it will offer COVID-19 and measles vaccines.

The health department has recorded 398 influenza reports since Sept. 20. Its dashboard showed reports nearly doubled from Oct. 3 to Oct. 10. Separately, Norton Healthcare laboratories recorded 400 positive cases across the system’s inpatient and outpatient facilities from Oct. 12 through Oct. 18; most were influenza cases.

Dr. Daniel Blatt of Norton Children’s Hospital said the area is seeing a notable increase in influenza A, possibly earlier than usual. The last two flu seasons were among the region’s worst in years, he said, though it is too soon to know how severe the current season will be.

Blatt urged residents to take preventive measures, comparing them to wearing a seat belt: preparation matters even when people cannot know in advance how serious a season will become.

Mendel said the mobile service is intended to meet residents where they are, including people juggling work and family responsibilities. “Anytime we’re able to remove that barrier,” she said, “we know people work hard and, in this economy, [are] working two jobs, maybe more, and you’re shuttling kids back and forth.”