PROVIDENCE – As flu season begins amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Rhode Island health officials say they are aiming for a 90% flu vaccination rate across the state.
This year, the state has stockpiled 150,000 more doses of flu vaccine than it has in previous years. Vaccines will protect against two influenza A strains and two B strains.
Flu shots will be available at hundreds of community clinics, schools, pharmacies and nursing homes, in addition to doctors’ offices and COVID-19 testing sites, where asymptomatic people can get the vaccine, according to the R.I. Department of Health.
A 90% vaccination rate is ambitious, RIDOH Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott acknowledged, but she stressed the importance of getting a flu shot this year as daily reports of new COVID-19 cases continue in the Ocean State.
“The simple choice to get a flu shot and make sure that your loved ones get their flu shots is a powerful step to help keep all of Rhode Island healthy and safe,” Alexander-Scott said. “Our Health Equity Zones and other community partners throughout the state are working to make flu shots as easy and convenient as possible. This is especially true in our communities that have been hit harder by COVID-19.”
The flu resulted in more than 1,000 hospitalizations and 39 deaths during the 2018-2019 season, and 950 hospitalizations and 20 deaths throughout the 2019-2020 flu season, which overlapped with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the health department.
“If we all do our part to get vaccinated for the flu, we can help save lives and reduce the burden on our health care system, where staff are working tirelessly to respond to COVID-19,” said Executive Office of Health & Human Services Secretary Womazetta Jones.
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN contributing writer.