Flu season 2022/2023 is approaching and it’s time to get your annual flu shots. As the flu was the only thing we had to worry about spreading prior to 2020, this fall and winter, it’s become a more complex landscape! Now, COVID-19 and even Monkeypox may also be in the mix as well. This year, we have new updates to the flu vaccines so that we all can prevent contracting the flu. We hope that by eliminating flu we can rule this out when trying to diagnose COVID-19. We’re predicting this winter to be just as bad, if not worse than last year’s surge of Omicron cases during the holidays.
AFC Urgent Care Danbury is now offering the quadrivalent flu vaccine and we will continue to update everyone on flu vaccines, COVID-19 and even Monkeypox so that you can stay informed on how to avoid them altogether.
COVID-19 Continues To Mutate
At this point in time, many of us have learned to live with COVID-19 still being around. As the virus continues to mutate, it’s important to still be cautious as it continues to cause severe illness and deaths among immunocompromised individuals, the unvaccinated, the elderly, and certain individuals with preexisting health conditions. Some precautions include getting the new comprehensive COVID-19 booster shot that covers all the existing variants we are aware of. Afterall, as much as we hope this doesn’t happen, we may or may not have a new variant by the time Christmas comes around. We can also imagine a resurgence in COVID cases as masks are now optional in most scenarios and travel has become less restrictive. Family gatherings played a big part of the uptick for the last 2 year's spike in COVID cases; let’s not make the same mistake a 3rd year in a row!
For this reason, now is the time to get vaccinated for COVID and to get it along with a flu shot. According to The CDC, it is possible to get both COVID-19 and the flu at the same time. If you have COVID-19, why add the flu on top of that? It’s a no brainer. Get flu vaccinated this season.
The Flu Vaccine Has A Few New Updates For The 2022/2023 Season
Flu vaccines are made months in advance to combat possible strains during the flu season. As scientists and researchers planned ahead they made some new updates to the flu vaccines to better prepare for the flu season this year. Here is the updated list from the CDC:
- The egg-based H1N1 vaccine component was updated from an A/Brisbane/02/2018 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus to an A/Guangdong-Maonan/SWL1536/2019 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus.
- The cell- or recombinant-based H1N1 vaccine component was updated from an A/Brisbane/02/2018 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus to an A/Hawaii/70/2019 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus.
- The egg-based H3N2 vaccine component was updated from an A/Kansas/14/2017 (H3N2)-like virus to an A/Hong Kong/2671/2019 (H3N2)-like virus.
- The cell- or recombinant-based H3N2 vaccine component was updated from an A/Kansas/14/2017 (H3N2)-like virus to an A/Hong Kong/45/2019 (H3N2)-like virus.
- The B/Victoria lineage vaccine component was updated from a B/Colorado/06/2017 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus to a B/Washington/02/2019 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus.
- The B/Yamagata lineage vaccine component was not updated.
- For the 2022-2023 flu season, there are three flu vaccines that are preferentially recommended for people 65 years and older. These are Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine, Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine and Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine.
AFC Urgent Care Danbury offers the quadrivalent flu vaccine. We suggest that anyone over the age of 6 months get it this year. The CDC also mentions that you should get vaccinated in September or October, before the start of the Flu season.
Should I Also Be Worried About Monkeypox This Winter?
The CDC reports that a Monkeypox outbreak has occurred in certain states in the United States and abroad in recent months. Monkeypox is caused by a virus in the Orthopoxvirus group, which also causes smallpox. Although it is prevalent in places like Africa, the recent outbreak in the U.S has caused alarm for the safety and health of our loved ones in the Greater Danbury Area.
What Are the Most Common Monkeypox Symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to flu symptoms, with some external physical conditions. The most common symptoms of Monkeypox are:
- Rash or Lesions (the most obvious symptom)
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Backaches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
It’s important to stay up to date on the information on Monkeypox and to follow similar hygiene precautions as we do for COVID to avoid contracting it or spreading it (Yes, it’s just as contagious as COVID or the flu)
AFC Urgent Care Danbury offers the quadrivalent flu vaccine
AFC Urgent Care Danbury is now offering the quadrivalent flu shot 7 days a week to help protect you from the flu this 2022/2023 season. You can also walk-in to any of our centers anytime or you can make an appointment here. We recommend anyone ages 6 months and up (including seniors/the elderly) to get vaccinated for the flu.
We accept most insurances and we also offer COVID-19 testing to help rule out COVID during the winter flu season. AFC has 3 locations serving the greater Danbury area located at 2 Main Street, 100 Mill Plain Road, and 76c Newtown Road.
For information on the latest COVID booster and the Monkey Pox vaccine locations, please visit your local pharmacy or check the CT state dph website for a link to available locations.
