Boise, ID September 21st, 2020 – Primary Health clinics have seen record demand for flu vaccine in recent weeks, as patients seek to protect themselves and their loves ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since August, more than 10,000 patients have received their flu shots at Primary Health, a number that exceeds previous years by nearly 50% with no sign of slowing down.
David Peterman, M.D., Primary Health CEO, and pediatrician, said, “I tell all my patients to get the flu shot and get it now. I want to vaccinate the kids, the parents, and the grandparents. We can’t just ignore a fever or a cough this year. Any sign of illness will mean dismissal from school or work, getting tested for COVID-19, and potential quarantine for an entire household or classroom while results are pending.
“The flu shot can’t protect against COVID19, but it can reduce the odds of a person becoming infected with influenza. This is important because we don’t fully understand the impacts of a person contracting flu and COVID at the same time. Additionally, if we can prevent cases of the flu, we can prevent hospitalizations and reserve much-needed resources for patients who are battling COVID-19.
“In the Southern Hemisphere where they are completing their flu season, there has been far less influenza due to an increase in vaccinations, and potentially due to masking as well. We want to see that same effect here to reduce the burden on our health care systems.”
Primary Health clinics are a safe option for flu shots. All patients are screened for potential COVID-19 symptoms, masks are required, physical distancing is enforced, and healthy patients are seen in separate designated areas. There is no cost for the flu vaccine with most major insurance plans, and a discount is available for self-pay patients.
The flu vaccine is available at most clinics for patients of all ages, including nasal mist for kids 2 – 18 and high-dose vaccine for patients 65 and older.
Find a list of Primary Health clinics offering flu vaccines here.