About half the people in the U.S. get a flu shot every year.
4.4 million Flu illnesses*
58,000 Flu hospitalizations*
That means you’re doing your part to help with social distancing and free up medical resources that can be used to combat Coronavirus.
You should try to get a flu vaccine by the end of October. However, vaccinations should continue throughout flu season, which lasts into January or even later. Use the vaccine finder below to find a flu shot near you.
We know that getting out for anything has been difficult over the past few months. Here are some ways you can get the flu shot while still social distancing:
We know you’re already taking additional precautions this year, so some of these may sound familiar. But it’s still important to make sure you take the following steps to prevent flu as well as COVID-19.
Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.
Both COVID-19 and flu can have varying degrees of signs and symptoms, ranging from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe symptoms.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 and flu share many of the same symptoms, including:
Only COVID-19:
It may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing is needed to help confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis. Highmark’s COVID-19 Symptom Checker is a quick, easy-to-use online tool that’s available 24/7 to help you decide if it’s time to seek medical help and advise you on next steps.