The kids are back in school and fall will be here soon. At CSIMP and NFIMP that means it is time for flu vaccines! Every year we recommend all patients aged 6 months and older get a flu vaccine with rare exception. The flu vaccine greatly reduces the risk of severe illnesses, hospitalizations and even deaths from the flu. Anything that we can do to reduce the chance of you, our patients, getting sick is very important to us. This year flu vaccines are especially important. We expect flu season to coincide with the continued COVID-19 pandemic. Getting your flu vaccine will reduce the chance of getting symptoms that might be confused with that of COVID-19. Any COVID-19-like symptoms will require quarantining and missing school or work. Also with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the healthcare system is already under strain. Usually the wintertime is when hospitals are full due to the flu and other illnesses such as pneumonia. The more people that get flu vaccines, the more we can reduce the stress on the US healthcare system.
We encourage you to ask your provider about getting your flu vaccine at any upcoming visit at CSIMP or NFIMP. If you don’t have an appointment soon then you are welcome to walk-in to get one. We ask that you come on the weekends to CSIMP to our Flu Shot Clinics help facilitate social distancing. To be fully prepared for flu season, it is best to get your flu vaccine before the end of October.
