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As if theCOVID-19 pandemicwasnt enough, we also have flu seasonand getting your flu shoton the horizon.
Photographer: Heather Hazzan; Wardrobe: Ronald Burton; Props: Campbell Pearson; Hair: Hide Suzuki; Makeup: Deanna Melluso at See Management. Shot on location at One Medical.
But you still need to get your flu vaccine.
(An especially important consideration amid the currentdelta-variant-fueled surge, which has overwhelmed ICUs in several states.)
Heres what you should probably know.
1. Who should get a flu vaccine?
When should I get my flu vaccine?
Can I get my COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time?
Yes, you absolutely can, Dr. Javaid says.
But what are you waiting for?
You should get the COVID shot ASAP, like yesterday, Dr. Javaid says.
Dont wait for your flu shot to get your COVID-19 shot.
If youre immunocompromised, you should get your flu vaccine as soon as possible.
Where can my kids get their flu vaccine this year?
But, asthe CDC says, well-child visits and vaccinations are still essential right now.
(WalgreensandCVS, for instance, don’t administer to children under three in most states).
I normally get my flu vaccine at work, but now Im working from home.
Where can I get it?
If your office isnt back to in-person work, you may need to make other plans.
or urgent care centers.
you might also check your local health departments website for flu shot locations.
(HeresNYCs siteas an example.)
Where can I get a flu vaccine without insurance?
That will help you avoid unnecessary crowds and keep you from having to wait around with others.
Some states and cities are even offering drive-through vaccinations.
Will the precautions we take to prevent the spread of COVID-19 also help with the flu?
Lets not forget that masks also worked a hundred years ago during the 1918 flu pandemic, he notes.
And, in fact, thats basically what happened last year, Dr. Javaid says.
There was also a record number of flu vaccines distributed during the last flu season, theCDC says.
All of those measures together likely helped significantly curb flu activity.
So, can we expect to continuewearing masks seasonally?
Its possible, and I certainly hope so, Dr. Javaid says.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the normal patterns of seasonal illness, like the flu?
But it wasnt just about masks and working from home.
In that case, theyre also likely to expose fewer people.
