August 30, 2021 – With children returning to in-person learning for school and many adults going back to working from an office, the upcoming flu season and the effect it will have on hospitals has become a major point of concern for many experts in healthcare. The recent surge of the COVID-19 Delta variant has already stretched hospitals across the country, creating a dangerous situation for the upcoming flu season.
According to a report by ABC News, experts are encouraging the public to get flu and COVID-19 vaccinations together to provide further protection for this respiratory season.
Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. David Hirschwerk said, “We should always prepare for the flu season by planning to get vaccinated. This fall and winter there is likely to be circulation of COVID, influenza, as well as other respiratory viruses.”
With multiple viruses now in circulation, experts are arguing that every bit of protection helps. Hirschwerk explained, “There is currently no contraindication to receiving both at the same time, and for many people, this will be the most convenient way to handle it.”
Because of the unpredictability of the flu, it’s hard to project what this season will look like. With the low number of flu cases last year and the return to normal operations for offices and schools, this year could be “a very severe flu season.”
In order to vaccinate as many people as possible, large quantities of several types of flu vaccine are now in production. As a key step to “preventing the flu and decreasing transmission,” experts are urging the public to get vaccinated and take the necessary safety measures if they start to feel symptoms.