Why the Flu Vaccination Protects Everyone
Getting your flu vaccine is particularly important this year. Although the flu vaccine does not make you immune to COVID-19, it does significantly decrease your chances of being exposed in healthcare settings. It is important to note that the influenza virus causes the flu and SARS-COV-2 causes COVID-19. The flu shot lessens the likelihood of getting the flu which protects you from getting both the flu and COVID which would be dangerous.
With the predicted third wave of COVID-19 cases hitting the United States (and most of the world) during the late fall and early winter months of 2020, hospitals and healthcare facilities are being overwhelmed by COVID patients. As of early December in the US, there are nearly 100,000 people currently hospitalized due to severe COVID symptoms and inching towards 15 million cumulative infections.
Over the course of the 2019-2020 flu season, the CDC estimates that there were 17 million medical visits, 500 thousand hospitalizations, and 34 thousand deaths attributable to the flu in the United States. Although estimates for the 2020-2021 season so far are much lower than previous years due to social distancing measures and people wearing masks, it is important to mitigate the risk as much as possible. If more people get the vaccine, less will be seriously hospitalized with the flu which will open up hospital beds and capacity.
By getting the flu shot, you’re not only protecting yourself. You are also protecting those around you like the elderly, people who have allergies to vaccines, and arguably most importantly, medical caregivers. This will lighten hospital personnel’s workload and allow for a higher level of care capacity. The flu vaccine is typically anywhere between 40 and 60% effective most years, combined with social distancing and wearing masks this year, the burden of the flu can be significantly reduced from previous years.
Find where to get a flu vaccine near you:
Graphics by Sophie Becker, Design Strategist
Sophie is a design strategist at Orange Sparkle Ball. She is a recent graduate from RIT and holds a bachelor’s in industrial design and psychology. Her studies informed her interest in using design thinking to communicate abstract and complex ideas, particularly in public health.
Writing by Ryan Mathura, Public Health Innovation Analyst
Ryan is a Master of Public Health Student at Emory University studying Health Policy and Management. He has a background in immunology and worked in vaccine R&D before attending Emory.
