The Easton Senior Center is looking forward to providing flu shots again in October.
“We are looking to check on interest,” Val Buckley, Senior Center director said. She asks interested parties to call the center at 203-268-1145. Appointments will follow.
While the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has not yet voted on the flu vaccine recommendations for 2020-21, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not anticipate a major change in the recommendation on timing of vaccination.
Getting vaccinated in July or August is too early, especially for older people, because of the likelihood of reduced protection against flu infection later in the flu season. September and October are good times to get vaccinated. However, as long as flu viruses are circulating, vaccination should continue, even in January or later, according to the CDC.
Everyone six months of age and older should get vaccinated. To address the importance of influenza vaccination, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC will maximize flu vaccination by increasing availability of vaccine, including purchasing an additional two million doses of pediatric flu vaccine and 9.3 million doses of adult flu vaccine, by emphasizing the importance of flu vaccination for the entire flu season, and by conducting targeted communication outreach to specific groups who are at higher risk for complications from flu.
These same groups, including senior citizens and people with underlying medical conditions, are often at higher risk for COVID-19 too, so protecting them from influenza is important to decrease their risk of co-infection.
Read more about seasonal flu and COVID-19 here.
