GREEN BAY, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) — It's that time of year when flu concerns begin to rise.
This season, as COVID-19 lingers over everybody, the importance of the vaccine may look different. Health experts are urging people to not skip out on it.
“COVID-19 and the influenza can affect the same person at the same time, and often when your body is trying to fight off two infections at the same time, it’s harder for it to do that,” Dr. Jennifer Frank, Chief Medical Officer at Thedacare said. “So, you’re more likely to get more severely ill.”
The biggest concern is overwhelming the healthcare system. If preventable severe flu cases rise, there's a possibility that takes a hospital bed away from a covid patient.
“We want to make sure that our resources this year are really devoted to taking care of the thing that we can’t prevent as readily, which is COVID,” Frank explained.
The peak of the flu season can start as early as September or as late as March. It’s recommended to plan your flu shot as soon as possible. Production of vaccines increased this year to meet the expected higher demand.
“We do want to make sure we get everyone immunized. If you are a little bit older or have more health conditions, you may want to wait a little bit more towards October to make sure your immunization lasts the entire flu season,” Frank said.
Health experts know it’ll be difficult to diagnose the flu from covid based on symptoms because they’re so similar. However, if you’re feeling sick, it's encouraged to isolate to prevent spreading either.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, there were 17,210 cases of the flu in the state during the 2018-2019 flu season.
To find a clinic where you can get a flu shot, click here.