The Time to Head Off a Potentially Vicious Flu Season by Diversifying Your Vaccination Efforts Is Now

At this time last year, COVID-19 vaccines were still months off and many Americans were grappling with the headaches of remote work and school, social distancing, and acute awareness of their own hygiene practices. One of the few upsides to that was reduction of exposure to seasonal influenza. Consequently, we had a relatively light flu season. Now, however, with several COVID-19 vaccines available and caseloads and hospitalizations slowly coming down, people are getting together in greater numbers than they have in ages (with many of them not wearing masks). This leads the American Medical Association to warn in a post on their website that “there are strong reasons to anticipate a bad flu season this year.” So, the AMA has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ad Council on a campaign to promote flu shots, especially among high-risk populations and those who may be unlikely to get vaccinated. A social media toolkit on the CDC’s website offers sample posts for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well as information on the urgency of reaching specific groups. The JUCM archive includes an important article with tips on ensuring your urgent care center is prepared to lead the way in preventing flu. Click here to read An Urgent Care Approach to Influenza—Before Onset.