Experts say now is the time to prep for flu season

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - It is that time of the year again - fall weather is here but so is the flu season. With the new COVID-19 vaccines rolling out, experts say now is the time to get your updated vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says September and October are the prime times to get flu vaccinated, and the pharmacist here tells me that it’s best to get your flu shot and the new COVID-19 vaccine together.

This flu season is creeping up, and experts say they usually hit its peak around February, so it would be a smart move to be prepared now.

With the new COVID-19 vaccines arriving, experts recommend getting both vaccinations before the respiratory virus season goes into full effect.

Pharmacists, like Brian Fulcher, worry about the patients’ behavior they have been seeing so far.

Fulcher said, “People are dragging their feet, alright? We have already been talking about we are not seeing the early adoption of the flu shot and I think we are seeing vaccine fatigue start to show that, alright? I’m telling everybody, there are two really important shots for all of us to get this fall, and that is the flu shot and the new vaccine for Covid.”

The CDC says last flu season, there were approximately 9 million cases, with 100 thousand hospitalizations and 5 thousand deaths.

Some are already ahead of the game.

Alicia Lagos, a flu shot recipient shared, “Just trying to get a head start, you know, I’m around people a lot, and I am not trying to get sick and yeah, especially at school and being around people.”

Realo Pharmacy found a more effective way to administer more flu shots across Pitt County – at schools, churches, and even construction sites, and that’s running a flu clinic.

Markia Echols, the lead technician at Realo pharmacy told WITN, “We have a couple of employees at such and such of a job they all want to get a flu shot and we can just see if we can come in and get like maybe 100 at a time, that’s usually typically how we set up.”

Flu shots are available not only at pharmacies but also at state health departments and community health centers. The availability dates for the new COVID-19 vaccine may vary on each pharmacy, so plan to get your vaccines before it is too late.

To find the nearest place to get your flu shot, you can go to getmyflushot.org.

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