September 9, 2021
With flu season fast approaching and COVID-19 continuing to impact individuals and the healthcare system, it is more important than ever to get a flu shot. People need to ensure that they are protected against the flu, and a flu shot is the best way to do that.
When enough people are vaccinated, it is more difficult for the flu to spread. If fewer people get the flu, a healthcare system stressed by COVID-19 won’t also have to care for flu patients who might require hospitalization. In addition, fewer people will need to visit doctors’ offices and hospital emergency rooms with an illness that needs to be sorted out since flu symptoms – including fever, muscle aches and cough – can resemble those of COVID-19.
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu can cause mild to severe illness, and serious consequences of flu infection can result in hospitalization and at times can even lead to death.
The CDC estimates that 38 million people were sick with the flu during the 2019-2020 season, and that there were 18 million visits to a health-care provider for flu, 400,000 hospitalizations and 22,000 flu deaths.
But during last year’s flu season, with many people wearing masks to protect against COVID-19, we saw a historically low number of flu cases. This gives us another reason to mask up wherever possible this flu season.
Annual flu shots are recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, and they are particularly important for people at risk for serious complications from the flu: children younger than five years, adults 65 years of age and older, pregnant women and people with certain chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease.
Each year, University Medical Center works to protect its patients and The University of Alabama campus from the flu. In addition to providing flu shots at UMC for our patients, UMC also lead the University’s yearly flu shot campaign. The campaign begins in early September and continues through mid-November and provides free flu shots (no insurance required) to students, faculty and staff.
UMC nurses, as well as nurses from the UA Student Health Center and nursing students from the University’s Capstone College of Nursing, travel to sites across campus to administer the shots. WellBAMA is also a partner in the flu shot campaign, now in its 10th year.
The goal of the campaign is to make getting a flu shot as easy and convenient as possible so that the UA campus is protected from the flu. With COVID-19 still ongoing, that has never been as important as it is now.
The College of Community Health Sciences operates University Medical Center
