“Getting the flu vaccine is especially important this year, because of COVID-19,” according to the American Heart Association.

“If you get the flu, you may need to be hospitalized, in this time of COVID, in an already overwhelmed healthcare system. Get your flu shot, avoid getting the flu, and stay out of the hospital.” says Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., MPH, FAAFP, AHA chief medical officer for prevention.

CDC recommends annual flu vaccinations for nearly all persons 6 months of age and older. However, some populations are at increased risk of the flu, and it is especially important for these groups to get vaccinated:

– Seniors, adults aged 65 years and older may be more vulnerable to the flu and potential complications.

– Individuals with underlying chronic health conditions such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

– Children, especially those younger than 5 years and those who have returned to in-person school.

– Pregnant women, who may be at increased risk of the flu because of immune system changes during pregnancy.

– Individuals who are Black or Hispanic; data suggests that these populations may be at increased risk of the flu and flu-related complications.

Unfortunately, the myth persists that the flu vaccine causes the flu. Not true — the flu vaccine may cause mild side effects such as soreness, redness, or swelling at the site of the injection that may last a few days, or mild, flu-like symptoms that are far less severe than the actual flu.

Getting a flu vaccine is easy and safe. Doctors’ offices are taking additional precautions this year, such as designating certain areas of their offices for flu vaccine clinics, or offering drive-thru service. Flu vaccines also are available in most pharmacies, and through some employers where offices have reopened with added precautions such as drive-thru access. For those who are without insurance, free flu vaccines are available through community pop-up centers and federally funded community health centers.

The sooner you get a flu shot, the sooner you are protected, but it is never too late. A flu shot at any point during flu season is better than not being vaccinated at all, according to the CDC.

However, getting a flu shot doesn’t mean to stop paying attention to other healthy habits. Frequent and thorough handwashing, social distancing, and wearing a mask can help reduce the spread of the flu as well as COVID-19.

For more information about the flu, the flu vaccine, and staying healthy this flu season, visit heart.org/fluprevention.

–NewsUSA

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This is no ordinary flu season; it’s a flu season amid a pandemic. With two dangerous viruses going around at once, it’s time for us to protect our communities by getting the vaccine we already have: the flu vaccine. A flu shot won’t protect you against COVID-19, but it has many other important benefits.

Flu vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there’s no evidence that a flu vaccination increases your risk of getting sick from a coronavirus, like the one that causes COVID-19.

Those at high risk for flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people 65 years and older, and people with certain chronic health conditions. Anyone who is six months old or older should get a yearly flu vaccine. The CDC recommends getting vaccinated in September or October, but a flu shot anytime during the flu season can help protect you.

Flu season in North America rarely begins before early October and usually lasts from December to March. In the past two years, the peak activity has occurred around mid-to-late February.

Your body needs two weeks after a shot to develop a protective response to the influenza virus, so your best bet is to get vaccinated before the flu rate begins to climb. Workplaces and other settings that usually provide flu shots may not do so this season because of the challenges of maintaining social distancing.

For more information on where you can get a flu vaccine, visit www.vaccinefinder.org. When going to get a flu shot, please practice everyday preventive actions and follow the CDC’s recommendations for running essential errands. Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or health department if they are following CDC’s vaccination pandemic guidance.

Any vaccination location following CDC’s guidance should be a safe place for you to get a flu vaccine. Medicare Part B covers one flu shot per flu season per beneficiary. You pay nothing for a flu shot if your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider accepts Medicare payment for giving the shot. If you have a child over six months old who qualifies for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), you may also qualify for a flu vaccination at no cost to you.

What’s the difference between flu and COVID-19? Influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they’re caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.

Because some symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis. It is possible to have flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Health experts are still studying how common this can be.

While it’s not possible to say with certainty what will happen in the fall and winter, CDC believes it’s likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both be spreading.

CDC has developed a test that will check for A and B type seasonal flu viruses and SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This test will be used by U.S. public health laboratories. Testing for these viruses at the same time will give public health officials important information about how flu and COVID-19 are spreading and what preventive steps should be taken.

So please protect yourself, your family, and your community by getting a flu shot this fall.

-Seema Verma – Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

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