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“Covid has changed the course of influenza to a degree,” said Seri Chaguturu, executive vice president and chief medical officer of CVS Health®. When the outbreak began, he said, Covid-19 precautions such as masks and social distancing reduced the number of flu cases. But as people become more connected, flu cases are on the rise.
“We expect the flu season to start a little earlier this year and be a little more severe than the number of cases we’ve historically seen,” says Sree.
Maintaining good health
That’s why the flu vaccine — as well as the updated Covid-19 booster and other current vaccines — are critical to good health.
“Millions of people get the flu every year. Hundreds of thousands of people were hospitalized; Tens of thousands of people will die,” says Sri. “The flu vaccine is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family. It has been shown to reduce the risk of flu-related illnesses and those serious flu complications.
An annual flu shot is recommended for most people 6 months and older, especially essential workers, individuals 65 and older, immunocompromised individuals and people with chronic health conditions, he said.
Remember that it takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to build up immunity in the body. “Getting vaccinated in early fall, before the end of October, ensures that immunity is built when the flu season starts to ramp up.”
Covid-19 incentives and additional vaccinations
Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending dual vaccine boosters that target new microbe subtypes, hoping to avoid a dramatic drop in the number of Covid-19 cases. But success in reducing the number of Covid-19 cases this fall and winter will depend on how many people get vaccinated.
Flu shots don’t protect against Covid-19 – and Covid-19 vaccines don’t protect against the flu – both are easy to get and recommended. “Patients can receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time. At CVS Pharmacy, patients can schedule both vaccinations at the same appointment,” says Sri.
Currently, the updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster is approved for people age 12 and older, while Moderna’s is approved for people age 18 and older, according to the CDC. Local CVS pharmacists, or your doctor, can also help you determine if you’re eligible, Sree says.
Linda Molaca, manager of CVS Pharmacy® in Pembroke Pines, Florida, encourages her eligible patients to get motivated. “It’s always good to have as much protection as we can — that’s what the vaccines are for, to prevent hospitalization or serious complications,” she said.
She also offers other vaccinations — pneumococcal, pneumococcal, HPV, meningitis — and can help clients decide which ones they need. “Pharmacists are very knowledgeable about what patients need for certain vaccines,” she says. “So I’m definitely one of your greatest assets.”
With the CVS Health Dashboard, patients can track the vaccinations they receive, which can be especially helpful for younger Americans. A new national Harris Poll commissioned by CVS Health shows that young Americans are missing out on their vaccinations: Nearly 1 in 3 Gen Z and younger millennials say they don’t know when they’re due for more vaccinations — and they’re not sure where to find their immunization records.
Making vaccines convenient
To help people stay up-to-date, CVS Pharmacy and Minute Clinic® locations offer flu shots, Covid-19 shots and boosters, and many other vaccines every day, including nights and weekends.
“Eighty-five percent of people live within 10 miles of a CVS Pharmacy, and we have more than 9,000 locations nationwide, so it’s definitely more convenient than a typical 9-5-5 doctor’s office,” says Linda. “We’re all there — Minute Clinic providers, CVS pharmacists — every day, every night, every weekend, for our community.”
Recent Harris Poll data shows that more than half of parents of children under 6 find the entire vaccination process stressful. That’s why CVS Health allows patients to schedule a vaccination appointment at CVS.com, the CVS app or by visiting any Minute Clinic.
Families can make group vaccination appointments online for up to four individuals.
“We’re trying to make this as convenient as possible,” Sri says. “Our digital scheduler offers flexibility and the ability to schedule multiple patients at once, so families or groups can vaccinate together.”
So far, Linda says, the new group appointments are popular. “Parents love it, because they are an example for children – mom and dad are going to understand,” she said. “Everybody comes in and everybody leaves happy. It’s that simple.”
Luann, who arranges her family’s flu shots online, agrees. “Instead of bringing the kids to the doctor individually, it’s much more convenient to be able to bring the whole family there and get vaccinated at the same time.”
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