Health department clinics in the Northeast Health District – which includes Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton Counties – are now providing updated COVID-19 vaccines, as well as flu vaccines. Both are recommended for everyone ages 6months and older.
The viruses that cause COVID-19 and influenza are always changing, and protection from vaccines for these diseaseslessens over time - which is why it is important to stay up-to-date with both types of vaccines. Updated COVID-19 vaccines were approved in September and are designed to protect against recent variants of COVID-19. If it has been more than two months since your last dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, you should get an updated vaccine.
The flu shot is updated annually to match the types of flu expected to be most common each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that most people gettheir annual flu shot in September and October for best protection throughout the season. Annual flu shots are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, including people with egg allergies.
In past years, people with severe egg allergies were advised to get a version of the vaccine that was not egg-based and to get the vaccine in a medical setting in case they had a reaction. Based on additional research, those extra precautions are no longer necessary. The CDC now advises that individuals with egg allergies may receive either type of flu vaccine – egg-based or not egg-based – and additional safety measures beyond those recommended for any other vaccine are no longer recommended.
Flu and COVID-19 vaccines are the best protection against these diseases. Flu and COVID-19 vaccines greatly reduce your chances of getting sick, and they also help reduce the severity of symptoms if you do get sick. Both flu and COVID-19 vaccines can protect you from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. The vaccines also help protect your loved ones and others around you, especially those who might be at higher risk for severe illness or complications from flu and COVID-19.
To find the closest health department clinic near you to schedule your COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, visit NortheastHealthDistrict.org. Additional vaccine providers can be found at Vaccines.gov.
For more information about influenza and this year’s flu vaccine, visit: