SACRAMENTO \u2013\u00a0In an effort to prevent a \u201ctwindemic\u201d of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is urging Californians to get vaccinated against the flu now to protect yourself and your loved ones.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFlu will be hitting your community soon, and in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in California, getting your flu vaccine will be more important than ever,\u201d said Dr. Erica Pan, Acting State Public Health Officer. \u201cJust like wearing a face covering, getting a flu shot is an easy and safe action we can take to keep ourselves and others healthy during the pandemic. Don\u2019t wait\u2014vaccinate.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Flu vaccination is part of a comprehensive public health strategy to reduce the burden of flu, but also to preserve health care resources for care of patients with COVID-19.<\/p>\n
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Getting vaccinated is the best defense against the flu.\u00a0In California, flu activity usually begins to increase in late November or December.\u00a0It takes a couple of weeks after vaccination for the body to build an immunity. So, don\u2019t delay getting a shot.<\/p>\n
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CDPH recommends the annual flu vaccination for everyone six months of age and older. Those at higher risk of getting severe flu disease include:<\/p>\n
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\u201cFlu can look very similar to COVID-19 and can cause a fever, cough, body aches, chills, and other symptoms. If you catch flu, you will likely have to get tested for COVID-19 and influenza. This could mean\u00a0isolation at home until test results are back and indicate it\u2019s safe to be around other people,\u201d said Dr. Pan.<\/p>\n
\nCDPH encourages Californians to contact their health care provider, physician\u2019s office or clinic about getting the flu vaccine. When flu vaccine is in stock, adults can also get immunized at the pharmacy where they generally pick up their prescriptions. Pharmacies usually accept most insurance, including Medi-Cal. Some local health departments may also offer low- or no-cost flu immunizations.<\/p>\n
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Besides getting immunized, you can also take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs:<\/p>\n
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For more information about the flu, visit\u00a0CDPH\u2019s website<\/a>. For the flu vaccine location nearest you, visit\u00a0www.flu.gov<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n For more information about what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit\u00a0covid19.ca.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n