Health officials urge citizens to remember flu vaccine amid COVID-19 pandemic
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State health officials are reminding citizens across West Virginia to get a flu vaccine even though the COVID-19 pandemic overshadows many health concerns this year.
The West Virginia Immunization Network is (WIN) concerned about the seasonal flu coinciding with the pandemic as the contagious respiratory disease that can cause serious illness, hospitalization, and death has a season that runs from fall to late winter, with high activity between December and February.
WIN said in a news release that with the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and similar symptoms between these two contagious illnesses such as fever, cough, chills, body aches, runny nose, and headache, many are concerned about the impact of the upcoming flu season on communities that are struggling with COVID-19.
Dr. Sherri Young with the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) said at a recent press conference that there are differences between the flu and COVID-19 and both must be taken seriously.
“The treatments are different. We do have the ability to prevent the flu, we do not have great ability to prevent COVID. We can contain the spread which means wear our masks, maintain social distancing and following our protocols. We have to be careful we do not have two problems at once,” Young said.
Young said her health department got its first shipment for vaccines in the past week and ordered over 10,000 doses. All the doses are free, according to Young with the exception of high dose shots that are stronger and given to those 65 years of age or older.
Elaine Darling, the Senior Program Director for The Center for Rural Health Development told MetroNews that healthcare providers such as the KCHD are just now getting their stock up for flu vaccine.
“This is a great time to go into your healthcare provider, a health department, community health center, school-based health clinic, or pharmacy and get your flu shot before we see influenza circulating in our communities,” Darling said.
Darling noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that the flu has caused 140,000-810,000 hospitalizations and 12,000-61,000 deaths in the U.S. each year since 2010.
She said the last flu season, 50-percent of West Virginians were vaccinated
“We saw about half of our population get vaccinated for the flu last season. This year we are hoping we can do much better so we don’t have much flu circulating through our communities during COVID-19,” Darling said.
Many healthcare providers have changed the way flu shots are given out due to the restrictions put into place by COVID-19 and the KCHD is no different.
“Before we would go into different businesses, go into different schools and do community events. Now it’s different in the face of COVID. We have to be socially distant, we have to be protective, we have to wear masks, we have to make sure those assurances are there for it to be safe to get the flu shot,” Young said.
For those who have lost insurance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Darling said federal programs such as The Vaccines for Children is available. The federal program provides vaccines for children 18 years of age and younger who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid-eligible, American Indian, or Alaska Native.
For help finding a local healthcare provider who participates in the VFC program, ask your child’s health care provider or contact a local health department.
WVIN is a statewide coalition of more than 400 public and private sector members who work to protect West Virginians from vaccine-preventable diseases. The Center for Rural Health Development serves as the lead agency for WIN.
