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More than eighteen months have passed since the mass onset of COVID-19 in March 2020, and so much of our public health awareness has been focused on the mitigation of its spread through social distancing, mask-wearing, and vaccinations.

Last winter, we were largely isolated from friends, families, classmates, and colleagues, which not only slowed the spread of COVID-19, but also of the flu. This year, we are returning to our regular activities, which means we can expect to also see an increase in flu cases over the coming season, as compared to last year.

While we still navigate the landscape of COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, don’t forget to also get your flu shot this year. Not only does getting the vaccine keep you healthy, but it can reduce your chances of needing to go to the doctor. The Centers for Disease Control reports that getting the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 percent to 60 percent.

If you are one of the millions of Americans managing chronic health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, getting a flu vaccine can be beneficial to your health during flu season. Also from the Centers for Disease Control, we know that getting vaccinated against the flu is associated with lower rates of some cardiac events among people

with heart disease, reduced risk of a flu-related worsening of chronic lung disease (for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring hospitalization, and reduced hospitalizations for people with diabetes and chronic lung disease, from a worsening of their chronic condition.

Flu shots are available at most pharmacies, and beginning November 1, 2021, will be available at no charge to the public from the Lorain County Public Health Department. Lorain County Public Health advises that receiving a flu shot in November offers the best protection through the peak flu season in Northeast Ohio, and a reminder that it is possible to get infected with both flu and COVID-19 at the same time, and have symptoms of both flu and COVID-19.