COVID-19 is still around and we’re now approaching flu season. “Do I need to get a flu shot?” or “Do I have to get a flu shot and COVID-19 vaccinated?” are common questions people have since both viruses can knock you off your feet. Some of you may be now eligible for your booster shot for COVID-19. Others might be getting their COVID-19 vaccine for the first time. The point is, you want to get vaccinated for both the flu and COVID-19 to avoid getting sick this fall and winter. Lucky for you, AFC Urgent Care Worcester now offers the quadrivalent flu shot and the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine (. Here’s what you should know so you can avoid the “twindemic” this season.
Here is what’s new for the 2021 flu vaccines
The CDC has information and updates for the flu vaccine in 2021 that you should know:- 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