Flu vaccination recommended for all Rhode Islanders 6 months and older

Friday, October 21, 2022

GoLocalProv Health Team

Rhode Island health officials have launched the 2022-2023 flu vaccination campaign for Rhode Island.

“Rhode Island is the national leader in COVID-19 vaccination. Now is the time to become the nation’s leader in flu vaccination coverage,” said Gov. Dan McKee. “Getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious illness from the flu. If you plan to get together with family and friends for the holidays, now is the time to get vaccinated.

“It’s important to get your flu shot every year,” said Ana Novais, EOHHS Acting Secretary. “Local pharmacies, health centers, and primary care providers have plenty of vaccines on the ground. We are grateful for our partnership in the community. Immunization is an important part of disease prevention, so join us in protecting your family and loved ones and get your flu shot today.”

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Featured Influenza

Influenza is a serious virus. In a typical flu season before COVID-19, the flu had hospitalized more than 1,000 people and caused many deaths. For example, during the 2018-2019 flu season, the flu resulted in 1,032 hospitalizations and 39 flu-related deaths.

RIDOH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older. Influenza vaccination is especially important for certain people, such as:

• People over the age of 50 (CDC recommends that adults over the age of 65 use certain influenza vaccines, including high-dose and adjuvant flu vaccines),
• health care worker,
• People living in nursing homes
• children under the age of 5,
• pregnant women; and
• People with weakened immune systems or chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and asthma

shooting location

There are many places in Rhode Island where flu shots are available at no co-pay and for those without health insurance. These locations include school clinics, some pharmacies, and other RIDOH-affiliated vaccination venues that are open to all Rhode Islanders. Additionally, vaccines are available at many primary care provider offices and community clinics, such as workplace clinics.

After receiving the flu shot, you may experience slight pain and a slight fever at the injection site. So the vaccine is working. Your body is learning to fight viruses. These mild symptoms aren’t as significant as the actual flu that most people are bedridden for her week. You won’t get the flu from the flu vaccination.

In addition to getting the flu shot, RIDOH and CDC also recommend that Rhode Islanders stay up-to-date on the COVID-19 vaccine. The new COVID-19 booster is bivalent. That means it will help protect against his two strains of COVID-19, the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, and the Omicron variant that is causing most of the current cases. All persons aged 5 years or older who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should receive their bivalent booster at least 2 months after the last dose. This recommendation applies no matter how many boosters a person has already received. For example, even if a person received the first series and her two booster doses, he must get her bivalent booster at least two months after the last booster dose.

In addition to getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19, Rhode Islanders can take other steps to stay healthy and safe in the coming months.

• Wash your hands frequently during the day. Use warm water and soap. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow to prevent others from getting sick.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, bathroom surfaces, and children’s toys) clean by wiping them with a household disinfectant.

Other resources:

List of immunization clinics and general flu information: health.ri.gov/flu
Influenza information in Spanish: health.ri.gov/gripe
Those with additional questions, such as where to get immunizations if they do not have insurance, can call the Health Information Line at 401-222-5960 / RI Relay 711.

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