A flu shot doesn't always protect you, but amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever
Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY
August 17, 2020, 8:46 AM PDT·6 mins read
Getting a flu vaccine this year is even more important than usual because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to public health officials.
"We should push for massive uptake of the vaccine this year," said John Brownstein, who tracks outbreaks around the world as chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital. "Everyone who is eligible should get it."
Producers are boosting supplies of the flu vaccine this year to meet what they expect will be higher demand. CVS stores have the flu vaccine in stock, and vaccines are available as of
Monday at Walgreens.
Vaccine maker Sanofi plans to hold a news conference Monday morning announcing that it will produce 15% more vaccine than in a normal year.
"Flu vaccines work, and they can take a big burden off our medical infrastructure," John Shiver, global head of vaccines research and development for the company, said last week. "Let's keep people out of the hospital with flu while we deal with a likely upswing in COVID infections."
The flu shot isn't always effective, but it's much better than nothing, said Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine every year. The agency did not respond to a request for comment about this year's situation.
The CDC recommends people get a flu vaccine by the end of October – because it takes a few weeks for the vaccine to become fully protective – but encourages people to get vaccinated later rather than not at all.
It's hard to know how the flu will interact with COVID-19. The flu season has been mild in the Southern Hemisphere, which is usually six months ahead of the USA. It isn't clear whether that's because of the flu strains circulating this year or because the same public health measures that prevent COVID-19 – masks, social distancing and frequent hand washing – also stop flu outbreaks.
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