Health officials stress flu shot this year

WASHINGTON - With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, local health officials say it is more important than ever to get a flu shot.

From a clinical perspective, COVID-19 can look like influenza, said Dr. David Nacos of the Washington County Hospital and Clinics.

'Getting the flu shot allows people to have one less thing to worry about,” Nacos said.

Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski also stressed the importance of the flu shot this year.

Pettit-Majewski said public health experts are expecting COVID-19 cases to increase this fall and winter, and getting the flu shot can help reduce the disease burden on the community.

In a bad flu season, as many as 50,000 to 75,000 people can die, Nacos said.

The best time to get a flu shot is before the season starts in October. Nacos said in Iowa the heavy flu outbreaks start in December.

'We have already seen a couple of cases of flu in the county,” Nacos said.

He said it takes a couple of weeks before the vaccine starts to work and people can start passing the flu a day or two before showing symptoms.

People under the age of 18 tend to spread the flu more than other because they are very mobile. Nacos said they can get the flu and pass it to other individual in their family who are older and younger.

The Center for Disease Control recommends anyone over the age of 6 months to be vaccinated against the flu. The younger and older people in the population are the ones most at risk.

A high dose flu vaccine is available for those over the age of 65 or considered high risk.

High risk individuals are those who have frequent health problems, diabetes, frequent lung infections or taking immune modifying drugs.

A nasal flu shot is also available for those between ages 2 and 49 for people who may not like needles.

Nacos said getting immunized can help with herd immunity and lessen the flu for the general population.

There are a variety of places people can go to get immunized. The Washington County Hospital and Clinics have several flu clinics this time of year and People can also locally receive a flu shot at Hy-Vee and Walmart.