Time to Get a Flu Shot
Millions of Americans get the flu each year. It is estimated that at least 39 million people became ill with the flu last flu season (early October through early April), leading to a minimum of 18 million medical visits, 410,000 hospitalizations, and at least 24,000 deaths. In addition to the human cost, the economic impact of the flu related to lost work time, productivity, and medical resource investment amounts to billions of dollars annually.
A simple, affordable way to protect your health and the health of those around you, make a plan to get a flu shot now.
- Many free clinics offer free flu vaccines to the uninsured at no cost, find a clinic near you: https://www.vafreeclinics.org/clinics-in-virginia?
- Find other flu shot vaccination location near you: https://vaccinefinder.org/find-vaccine
- Lyft is offering ride credits through Dec. 31 to those seeking a flu shot. Use code VAFIGHTSFLU (restrictions apply)
A flu vaccine is needed every season for two reasons:
- a person's immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccine is needed for optimal protection
- flu viruses are constantly changing, therefore flu vaccines are updated from one season to the next to protect against the viruses that research suggests may be most common during the upcoming flu season
Just as social distancing, wearing masks in public, and frequent hand washing continue to be necessary behaviors to practice for the good of public health, getting a flu shot is just as important to reduce strain on the economy and the health care delivery system during the continued fight against COVID-19.