SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — As summer starts to wind down, it is time to start preparing for flu season.
With kids going back to school, it’s not too early to start thinking about getting your flu vaccine. Pharmacists at CVS say they have flu vaccines ready and available for the community.
It’s time to start thinking about getting your annual flu shots once again.
“It’s most important to get the vaccine earlier before the flu is here, I have heard of some flu cases in Sioux Falls so it’s not too early to get the vaccine and it does take about two weeks for the vaccine to really get into your body so it’s important to get it before your exposed,” said Angela Holland, Pharmacy manager at CVS on Louise.
“We recommend them every year and the reason for that is the flu vaccine changes every year based on the variants or the type of influenza that we saw the year previous, so we are constantly adapting the vaccine to what we believe will be the best to give you protection this year,” said Dr. Kevin Post, Chief Medical Officer, Avera Medical Group.
CVS in Target has had flu shots available for the past couple of weeks and said they have seen a good amount of people getting the vaccine.
“Yeah, we’ve had quite a few people. We’ve had people every day this week,” said Holland.
Doctors predict that the flu season this year will be more normal or even worse than normal compared to the past two pandemic years.
“With that it’s really important to get vaccinated to prevent illnesses, exposing others that maybe affects their ability to work or maybe affect their ability to live and then of course to decrease hospitalizations,” said Dr. Post.
Taking measures to protect yourself and others as we enter the flu season.
“It’s to take care of yourself and your loved ones and those that might not be able to handle an infection. So, when I think about that, it becomes very easy for me to get immunized because I believe it’s a tool that we have been given in order to prevent worsening diseases,” said Dr. Post.
“School’s starting this week for a lot of people and they are going to be exposed to so many people that they haven’t been around all summer so I think it would be good to get the vaccine before they are actually in and around everyone,” said Holland.
Anyone looking to get a flu or COVID vaccine should contact their doctor or local pharmacy to find out about availability.