Getting the flu shot now may prevent having 2 deadly viruses at once

ALBANY, Ga. – The Department of Public Health is urging people to get their flu vaccines now because they are predicting there will be a COVID-19 vaccine by December, and officials are hoping to avoid a collision of two deadly viruses.

In this time of uncertainty due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, residents can be certain that the flu season is set to arrive. And with that, health officials are asking people to get their flu vaccine early.

“We really want to urge the importance of early vaccine this year because we still are dealing with COVID-19,” says Southwest Health District Health Director Dr. Charles Ruis.

Normally, Flu season peaks in October and sticks around through march.

“This year we don’t know how bad the flu season is going to be, we don’t know when it’s going to peak or have it’s worse affect, one thing for sure the flu vaccine is going to be readily available to everyone.”

Getting the flu vaccine this year is crucial because Ruis says there is a possibility of having both viruses at the same time.

“That dramatically increases the chances that you are going to have a bad outcome. Theres no law of nature that says you cannot have two viruses at once, that is entirely possible.”

The number of new COVID-19 cases is still high, averaging about 214 per 100,000 population over the last 14 days.  And with the start of the flu season, hospitals could potentially become overwhelmed.

“We came close to that back in the spring and were able to avoid it but If we were to wind up with a severe outbreak of influenza and another severe round of COVID-19 that would really threaten our hospitals’ ability to take care of us.”

Ruis says DPH should be receiving flu vaccines near Labor Day.