“That means getting vaccinated, washing hands often, avoiding people who are sick, staying home and avoiding others if you have symptoms, and making sure you are current on recommended COVID vaccinations. “It’s in everyone’s interest to do what we can to keep influenza in check as much as possible,” said Anthony Chong, MD, a family medicine physician and chief medical officer at Scripps Coastal Medical Center. That would put even more strain on health systems which have been under near constant stress for the last two and a half years. During the 2019-20 flu season prior to the COVID pandemic, 105 people died from the virus in San Diego County while the disease killed as many as 22,000 nationally.Īnd once again, there is a possibility that a new variant of COVID could trigger another surge of coronavirus cases while influenza is spreading across the region and country this fall and winter. The infection has been particularly prevalent among children and teenagers who have had little to no exposure to the virus in recent years and aren’t up to date on vaccinations.Īmerican health experts use Australia as a barometer to predict what might be in store for the United States later in the year when flu season typically emerges here.īeyond the physical discomfort and schedule disruptions that a routine flu infection can bring, the virus also can be deadly. In Australia, where influenza typically spreads during the summer, this year’s season started historically early in April and has been worse than each of the previous five years, according to health officials there. “While we still don’t know how bad this flu season will be, we know for certain that vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your family against influenza.” “Now is the time to get vaccinated,” said Siu Ming Geary, MD, an internal medicine physician and vice president of primary care at Scripps Clinic Medical Group.
Flu shots are now available at most Scripps Clinic and Scripps Coastal primary care sites across San Diego County. Scripps Health physicians say the best way for everyone to protect themselves from the flu is to get vaccinated.
Following two of the mildest flu seasons in recent history, reports of a resurgence of the disease in the Southern Hemisphere this summer and the loosening of COVID-related restrictions are raising concerns in the United States that influenza may be returning to pre-pandemic levels.
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