Dallas County Health and Human Services is administering flu shots to adult residents today.

Shots are being offered at the county office at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 627A in Dallas. Shots are $20. Senior citizens with a Medicare card may receive the shot for free.

Shots are also being offered at various groceries and pharmacies, including Tom Thumb, Kroger, Albertson's and CVS today. Times, cost and availability vary by location.

Dr. William Schaffner, president-elect of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, said in a recent interview that people should start getting vaccinated now.

A record-setting amount -- 143 million to 146 million doses -- is available. Unlike last year when a surprise new influenza strain emerged, this year’s vaccine is a good match and should offer plenty of protection.

For the first time, the CDC is advising that every child age 6 months to 18 years be inoculated, unless they have a serious egg allergy. Healthy school-age children actually have higher rates of flu than other age groups, and research increasingly shows they spread it to the rest of us.

Parents may need to schedule an appointment early: Any child under 9 who's being vaccinated for the first time will need two doses, a month apart. A single dose suffices for everyone else.

Dallas County was still waiting for additional supplies before the vaccine would be available to children. County health spokeswoman Jacqueline M. Bell estimated that more doses would be available by mid-October.

Flu kills about 36,000 Americans a year, and hospitalizes about 200,000.

The Associated Press and the Washington Post contributed to this report.

•Children ages 6 months and up to their 19th birthday

•Pregnant women

•People 50 and older

•People who live or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including health care workers