VISTA -- The San Diego Blood Bank bloodmobile will accept blood donations from the public at a blood drive hosted by Vista Unified School District. The drive takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at 1234 Arcadia Ave, Vista. The bloodmobile will be in the parking lot.

Anyone at least 17 years old, in good health and who weighs at least 110 pounds may be eligible to give blood. Donors are advised to eat a good meal before giving.

For donor requirements and more information, contact the San Diego Blood bank at (800) 469-7322 or visit its Web site at http://www.sandiegobloodbank.org.

Free senior flu shots

People 55 or older can get free flu shots by appointment only Wednesday at Tri-City Medical Center's Community Flu Shot Clinic. The clinic will be held at Tri-City Medical Center in the Lower Level Assembly Rooms.

Appointments can be made on the Web at http://www.tricitymed.org or by voice mail at (760) 940-5786.

Westfield offers flu shots

Westfield Shoppingtown is offering flu shots for $25 through Dec. 10 or until supplies run out. The locations are Horton Plaza, North County, Parkway, Plaza Camino Real and UTC.

Vaccinations are given for those 9 or older from noon to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They are provided by Test-med Vaccination Services, and administered by an experienced professional staff licensed by the nursing association and state medical board.

More information is available at http://www.westfield.com or by calling (619) 239-8180.

Trigeminal neuralgia group to meet

Members of the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association's San Diego County Support Group and visitors will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Coral Room at Thornton Hospital at UCSD, 9300 Campus Point Drive. The speaker will be Cherie Sato.

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a disorder that causes very intense facial pain. For more information, call Cherie Sato (760) 729-8987.

Tick season is here

Be on guard against becoming infected by ticks this fall, says state public health officer Dr. Mark Horton. Ticks that carry Lyme disease and other illnesses are more likely to be encountered in late fall and winter than in summer, Horton said.

To avoid ticks, Horton recommends these steps:

- Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck pant legs into boots or socks and tuck shirts into pants.

- Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be easily seen.

- Inspect yourself frequently for ticks while in tick habitats. Once out of tick habitat, thoroughly check your entire body for ticks. Parents should examine their children, especially on the scalp, hairline and skin folds.

- Apply a repellent, such as DEET, registered for use against ticks. Always follow directions on the container and be extra careful when applying to children. Permethrin spray may be used on clothing to kill ticks before entering tick habitat.

- Stay in the middle of the trail. Avoid trail margins, brush and grassy areas.