Pharmacist Tad Jolley vaccinates reward store worker Kamie White with a flu shot at Jolley’s Pharmacy in West Jordan on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
A flu shot is ready at Jolley’s Pharmacy in West Jordan on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Flu pictures aren’t one thing most individuals take into consideration till later within the fall and even winter.
However that’s altering this yr now that everybody is being urged to get the newly up to date COVID-19 booster pictures as quickly as they’re eligible. Why not, they determine, go forward and get their annual flu shot out of the best way on the identical time?
Nicely, it is likely to be higher to carry off on a flu shot for those who can, well being consultants say.
What it's good to know
1. It’s necessary to get each an annual influenza vaccination and the COVID-19 booster shot.
Influenza vaccine is beneficial for everybody six months and older. COVID-19 booster pictures, reformulated to focus on the omicron subvariants inflicting almost all the nation’s circumstances, are licensed for anybody 12 and older two months after finishing the unique vaccination collection or getting a earlier booster.
Each pictures are broadly accessible, by docs, pharmacies and native well being departments.
Pharmacist Ted Jolley, proprietor of Jolley’s Pharmacy Redwood in South Jordan, stated he expects demand for flu pictures to be up this yr. On Monday alone, 4 clients bought the flu vaccine, he stated, two on the identical time they obtained the brand new COVID-19 booster.
“With all the COVID craziness that we’ve had, I feel it’s a sign that individuals are going to get vaccinated. They see that vaccines work. I feel we’re going to see extra folks getting flu pictures,” Jolley stated, including. “Flu shouldn't be going away.”
2. Timing a flu shot may be tough, however consultants need folks to get the up to date COVID-19 booster as quickly as they’re eligible.
“We haven’t seen the flu but, however we've got COVID,” Utah Division of Well being and Human Companies spokeswoman Jenny Johnson stated, including that the “omicron variant is right here proper now. It’s making lots of people sick and it spreads shortly.”
On the subject of influenza, although, she stated “there’s not a greatest time” to get the annual dose of vaccine.
“You need to get your flu vaccine early within the flu season to supply optimum safety towards the flu. However we don’t all the time know when flu season goes to start out,” Johnson stated. Whereas that’s normally someday in October, it might come later and last more, she stated, whereas vaccine safety lasts round six months.
Dr. Tamara Sheffield, medical director of preventative medication for Intermountain Healthcare, stated deciding when to get a flu shot is a balancing act to be sure to’re protected earlier than influenza hits. There’s concern that the U.S. may see an early begin to the flu season this yr, based mostly on the southern hemisphere’s winter expertise.
A flu shot is ready at Jolley’s Pharmacy in West Jordan on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
“Mostly it peaks proper round January and February, so there are undoubtedly people who mustn't get (the influenza vaccine) early,” Sheffield stated, significantly these over 65 whose immunity tends to wane extra shortly, leaving them susceptible to the virus prior to others who’ve been vaccinated.
“Each month, your safety goes away somewhat bit,” the physician stated. “Sort of the rule of thumb is 100 days. You don’t need to be getting it greater than 100 days earlier than the height, as a result of you then’re at extra of a danger of the vaccine not working for you.”
That’s why older folks could need to wait till October or November to get their flu pictures, Sheffield stated, though there are different teams that shouldn’t wait, together with girls who're of their third trimester of being pregnant and younger youngsters who want two doses.
However everybody eligible ought to get the up to date COVID-19 booster shot instantly. Sheffield stated.
“You need to get your COVID proper now as a result of proper now's when the omicron variant is circulating that’s within the new bivalent booster,” she stated. “So that you don’t need to delay on COVID in any respect. You don’t need to say, ‘Oh, I’ll simply wait till October or November to get my COVID vaccine.’ It’s like no, proper now's once we’re all in danger.”
3. Each the flu and COVID-19 booster pictures can safely be given on the identical time.
The Biden administration is encouraging getting the pictures collectively, as soon as “the annual flu vaccination marketing campaign kicks into excessive gear later this month,” the White Home’s COVID-19 coordinator, Ashish Jha, stated final week, joking, “I actually consider because of this God gave us two arms — one for the flu shot and the opposite one for the COVID shot.”
State well being officers are recommending that suppliers accommodate sufferers who need each pictures now, if it’s going to be troublesome for them to return for the influenza vaccine as a result of work or different obligations — or in the event that they’ll prone to skip a second appointment, Johnson stated.
“We don’t need folks to overlook an opportunity,” she stated.
Sheffield additionally stated it’s higher to not wait than to finish up not getting vaccinated towards the flu.
“If folks delay, after which don’t get it, that’s even worse,” the physician stated, resulting in extra hospitalizations. “The important thing factor is, for those who don’t know that you just’re going to go get it (later), get it now, when you have the chance. Or ensure that for those who time it, to say, ‘Let’s get it in October or November,’ don’t neglect to do it.”