UCA Asks the Public: Are You Urgent Care Prepared for Flu Season?

The Urgent Care Association has launched a public-facing campaign to get consumers to head to their local urgent care center to ward off influenza, now that the season has officially begun. In addition to stressing that the urgent care center is “the best place to receive flu vaccinations and other key winter healthcare services,” UCA’s message also focuses on herd immunity—the notion that higher immunization rates will result in lower incidence of illness across the board, not just in individuals who get the vaccine. UCA President Pamela Sullivan, MD, MBA, FACP, PT notes that “urgent care centers offer a wide range of services to treat the flu, including vaccines, testing and prescriptions for antiviral medications as needed.” The Association also refers the audience to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and suggests prospective patients consult WhereIsUrgentCare.com to find conveniently located urgent care centers. (Information on joining UCA, of which JUCM is the official publication, is available in the Members section of the website.)