It’s getting colder, and that means the flu season is upon us. With COVID still hanging around it is important to know what to do to protect yourself from getting the flu or COVID and what to do if you are sick.
Get a Flu Shot
This year it is especially important to get a flu shot. COVID and the flu have a lot of overlapping symptoms, and you could even catch both at the same time. To help protect not only yourself, but others, get a flu shot an minimize your chances of catching the flu.
Any person at least 6 months of age, who can get a flu shot, should. While many people usually get vaccinated at work or school, that may not be an option this year due to on-going shut downs. The best thing to do is to schedule a flu shot at your doctor or someplace like CVS, Walgreens or the Little Clinic. Most insurance companies cover the cost of a flu shot completely.
Keep Social Distancing
One great way to prevent catching or spreading the flu or COVID is to continue to social distance, wear a mask and wash your hands frequently. These procedures, especially during the colder winter months when people are more likely to spend time indoors can be the difference between getting sick and staying healthy.
If you or someone in your family has a compromised immune system or other chronic illnesses, it is even more important to stay healthy this flu season. Don’t forget, masks only work if they cover both your mouth and nose, so please make sure you are wearing your mask correctly.
Get Tested
If you do end up getting sick this winter, get tested for both the flu and COVID. Since the two illnesses have so much overlap when it comes to symptoms, it is important to get tested and know what exactly you caught. It is possible to have both COVID and the flu so we recommend getting tested for both, even if you got a flu shot.
PDCHC offers flu shots and COVID testing. To get a flu shot call 502-774-4401 and for COVID testing 502-424-0169