Flu season is right around the corner and it’s time for your annual flu shot. At the same time, COVID-19 is still around making everyone on their toes because both viruses have symptoms that overlap.  AFC Urgent Care Norwalk now offers the quadrivalent flu vaccine and is here to help vaccinate our community and provide updated information on COVID-19. Here’s what you should know about the flu season of 2021 and how you can avoid the “twindemic”. 

New updates for the flu vaccine in 2021

There have been updates to the vaccines to better combat possible strains in the 2021/2022 flu season. Here an updated list from The CDC about the new components in the vaccines:

• 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.

  It is important to remember that infants under 6 months should NOT receive a flu shot because their immune systems aren’t strong enough to handle the vaccine.  They are also at a high risk of flu complications if parents don’t get their flu shots. Remember,  you can reduce the chances of your newborn getting the flu if you get the flu shot before the season begins. If you have any questions or concerns about which vaccine is best for you and your loved ones, contact  us. We’re here to help make it easy for you.

Who should get the flu vaccine this year?

The CDC suggests that everyone above the age of 6 months get vaccinated for the flu, including pregnant women, the elderly and high risk individuals. But what about newborns? Newborns under the 6 month threshold don’t have fully developed immune systems yet, so giving a flu vaccine to them would do more harm than good. However, a mother during pregnancy can receive a flu vaccine and pass on the immunity to their baby.

Will the flu vaccine protect me from COVID-19?

A flu shot will not protect you from COVID-19. Vice versa, a COVID-19 vaccine will not protect you from the flu. These are two entirely separate vaccines that are designed to protect against two different viruses.    If you haven’t gotten your COVID-19 vaccine yet, The CDC announced that you can get the flu vaccine and COVID-19 at the same time. The same rule goes for anyone needing a booster shot for COVID-19. You can get both.   If you need to get a flu shot, AFC Urgent Care in Norwalk, CT offers the quadrivalent flu vaccine 7 days a week.  

Walk-in flu shots at AFC Urgent Care Norwalk

The CDC recommends that everyone get their flu shots in September, or October before the start of the flu season. AFC Urgent Care Norwalk is aware of the possible twindemic and offers the quadrivalent vaccine 7 days a week with no appointment necessary.    AFC Urgent Care Norwalk  is open 7 days a week with extended hours on the weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm and we have weekend hours from 8 am to 5 pm. We also accept most insurances and we also offer COVID-19 testing 7 days a week with results on the same day with our RAPID COVID-19 testing service.