TAMPA, Fla — While the impacts of the 2020-2021 flu season were dramatically reduced due to face masks, social distancing and restricted movement, health experts expect an uptick in cases this year.
They say you should plan to receive the shot within the coming weeks.
“People are more relaxed so and recently we’ve seen a…surge in the COVID cases,” said Nirav Mehta, a pharmacist at Apex Pharmacy in St. Pete. “That's my thinking that might go up a little bit more this year.”
Mehta says it is important to receive your flu shot even if you have already been vaccinated against COVID-19, adding it is safe to do so.
“It’s two different things,” he said. “Usually this is the time when we get our shots and we start to administer so August, September…and then it picks up later on in the year,” said Mehta.
According to the CDC, flu vaccine and COVID shots can be administered at the same time. However, it warns that people should be sure to follow the recommended vaccine schedules.
The CDC also advises people to get a flu vaccine by the end of October as it predicts COVID-19 and the flu will be circulating at the same time at a higher rate than last season.
Experts say it is important to get the shot before the virus has high transmission in your community. Similar to the COVID-19 vaccines, it takes a few weeks for your system to develop the antibodies necessary to fight of the influenza virus.