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With the flu season right around the corner, Family Medical Center opened its doors for some community leaders to get their flu shots. These community leaders led by example Tuesday, getting their flu shots as Weiser Memorial Hospital and Family Medical Center is encouraging people to vaccinate themselves.
Participanting, from the back row from Left to Right, Mark Christensen- CFO, Amber Looney – MA, Steve Hale – CEO, Ginger Watko – CNO, Mike Hopkins – Trustee Chair, Danielle Marvin – Employee Education
Back Row from Left to Right, Dr Jordan Blanchard – FMC, Darla Boggs – MA, Mayor Randy Hibberd, Crystal Cooper, RN Data Informaticist, Andrea Wheeler, NP , Angela Oyervides – MA, Dr Brad Terry – FMC, Nancy Folden – MA
The COVID-19 pandemic has made flu vaccination more important than ever this year. The worry is that with the onset of the flu season, we may get peaks of flu and COVID-19 cases at the same time. Even with a mild flu season, the convergence with a COVID surge could very rapidly overwhelm our hospital system.
For both the flu and COVID-19, the elderly and those with underlying conditions are more susceptible, but the flu also hits children particularly hard and spreads readily in schools. The more people in all age groups who get a flu vaccine, the hope is that the more protected these vulnerable populations will be.
The worst-case scenario is that a surge in COVID-19 cases this winter fills ICUs so that even a mild flu season would overwhelm hospitals – not to mention leaving less capacity for patients needing intensive care from other things that naturally occur every day.
Is it also possible to be infected with the flu and COVID-19 at the same time, it’s too soon to tell how common such co-infections will be.
Getting your flu shot this year is a simple and effective way to protect yourself and others and to lend a helping hand in the fight against COVID-19.
In addition, COVID-19 prevention methods of practicing social distancing, washing our hands and wearing masks when around others will continue to be immensely helpful, both in preventing the spread of COVID-19 as well as the flu. We should do all that we can to protect against both of these dangerous respiratory illnesses.
