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Flu Vaccine Recommendations During COVID-19

Public health efforts have been focused on “flattening the curve” during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that we do not overwhelm healthcare systems. However, as flu arrives in the fall, there will be two overlapping viruses that both can cause illness, hospitalizations, and death. How can we flatten the COVID-19 curve while another virus enters circulation?

Although COVID-19 cannot yet be prevented through vaccination, there is an annual flu vaccine that has been safely used for over 50 years. Flu vaccines are already starting to become available and will be available in all parts of the U.S. soon. As we get closer to the upcoming flu season, making sure you and your family receive an annual flu vaccination will help ensure that your family stays healthy and hospitals, healthcare workers, and vital medical interventions are available for the people who need them.

Getting your annual flu vaccine is more important now than ever. Flu vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic offers benefits such as:

• • • Preventing flu activity in communities – the more people that are vaccinated, the less the virus can spread
    • Ensuring that people do not get both viruses at the same time
    • Helping conserve potentially scarce medical interventions such as ventilators, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines, and intensive care unit (ICU) beds
    • Reducing the need to seek medical care for flu-related complications
    • Decreasing the burden on healthcare professionals to ensure that they can focus on emerging issues related to COVID-19

Families Fighting Flu offers the following recommendations for flu vaccination during COVID-19:

• • • Set a date now for when you plan to get you and your family vaccinated. Check here to find where you can get a flu vaccine near you!
    • Make a backup plan for where you will get vaccinated, e.g., if you are unable to get to your doctor’s office, identify a nearby pharmacy where you can go.
    • Download and/or order our educational resources, available in both print and digital formats, that can help educate others in your community about the importance of annual flu vaccination.
    • Ask your trusted healthcare professional which vaccine is best for you and your specific health needs.
    • Join our Flu Champions program if you are interested in sharing information about the importance of annual flu vaccination in your community.
    • Be sure you and your family wear masks to protect yourself and others when going to a public location to receive vaccinations. While we are certainly living in difficult times, we can work together to ensure that flu activity is controlled using a tried and true method: increasing annual flu vaccination rates.

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