CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – It’s prime time for flu season, and experts say it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
Virginia has reported nearly 25,000 flu cases during the 2022-2023 flu season, the Virginia Department of Health said. Still, UVA Health says demand for flu shots has declined over the past few years.
As of the week of Jan. 30, UVA Health said it had distributed a total of nearly 42,800 vaccine doses across all of its locations.
“UVA offers flu shots in a number of different locations. So most outpatient or outpatient clinics, you can get one from your UVA doctor’s office, but we also offer them to all UVA employees through our Employee Health Department.” a significant number of people,” said Justin Visser, director of pharmacy at UVA Clinic Health.
Vesser said he has seen less demand for flu shots.
“This has been an unusual flu season, as has been the case with all flu seasons since COVID, as the demand for a COVID vaccine and the fear of COVID has far exceeded what is normally expected for flu every year,” he said.
UVA Health said it distributed 44,920 vaccines for the 2021-2022 flu season. For the 2020-2021 flu season, that number is closer to 49,000. In the 2019-2020 season, its demand exceeds 50,000 vaccines.
“It’s just smart health care, being smart about taking care of yourself, getting everyone in the family over six months old to get the flu shot, so I think that’s getting more people to the dinner table to get the flu shot,” Vesser said.
The Blue Ridge Health District says its trend is moving in the opposite direction. It distributed 910 vaccines this flu season. It distributed 420 vaccines last year.
“We’ve had a lot of support this year from some of the COVID nurses and the COVID team to reach out to the community and do more community-based vaccination efforts,” said Hope Peritz, BRHD’s public health nurse supervisor and immunization action plan coordinator.
Do you have an idea for a story?Send us your news alert here.
Copyright 2023 WVIR. all rights reserved.
