Experts say we’re in for a ‘robust’ flu season. What Sacramento parents need to know

Sacramento-area pharmacies and clinics have announced that flu vaccines are now available, in time for back-to-school and National Immunization Awareness Month.

The beginning of August marked the annual observance of the month meant to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages, according to the CDC.

“The flu season really picks up in the fall and right now is the time that we want to begin to get all of our patients, all of our communities, vaccinated so that they can be protected against possible adverse effects of getting the flu or possible COVID at the same time,” Sacramento-based CVS Health District Leader and pharmacist Lauren Landeta said.

August also is an indication that it’s time to stock up on pencils, paper and notepads as everyone gears up to get back to school.

Landeta said that she thinks it’s exciting that kids are going to be face-to-face with their peers and teachers and how this may be their first time seeing those individuals without masks on or not over a video screen.

“It’s more important now than ever to protect everybody from the flu and keep everybody safe now that we’re all back in person face-to-face and of course the reminder around using tissues when you sneeze and washing hands frequently to keep everybody healthy,” Landeta said.

Karen Staniforth, chief pharmacy officer at Rite Aid, said that with children going back to school, now is the perfect time to schedule a flu shot as well as other needed routine vaccines.

“More than ever, our customers want to keep themselves and their families healthy,” Staniforth said.

Landeta said CVS has a change in their appointment booking that allows patients to do group or family bookings of up to four people at a time.

Walk-in availability, weekend hours and extended hours are also provided to increase access to the vaccine.

“We do want to provide that easy, convenient accessibility for all of our communities to come in and get vaccinated at our CVS pharmacies,” Landeta said.

Additionally, Landeta said that patients can receive a flu vaccine and a COVID vaccine or booster at the same time.

“In fact, we encourage that because we love for our patients, whether they come on their own or they book a group or family appointment, they can get them both in the same visit at our pharmacies and it’s much more convenient that way then making a different trip,” Landeta said.

What to expect of this flu season

There are many strains of influenza, Landeta said. Researchers look at which of those strains are most likely to cause the flu this season.

“They put those strains in an inactivated virus into the vaccine,” Landeta said. “It will be the same strains that they have determined could be the most likely to cause the flu this season.”

Australia and Argentina are on different seasons than the United States, so their flu season is in full swing right now and has been, Landeta said.

She said that when they have a robust flu season, we look to have that same predictability for the United States.

“We are anticipating a robust flu season for us coming up,” Landeta said.

Types of flu vaccines

Both CVS and Rite Aid are offering different types of flu vaccines.

According to a spokesperson for Rite Aid, its pharmacies are offering four types of flu vaccines this year:

▪ Quadrivalent flu vaccine, which provides protection against four strains of the flu: the influenza A H3N2 virus, the influenza A H1N1 virus and two strains of influenza B virus

▪ FLUAD, a quadrivalent vaccine that helps create a stronger immune response to vaccination, approved for people 65 and older

▪ Fluzone HD, a high-dosage quadrivalent vaccine for patients 65 and older

▪ Flumist, a nasal spray flu vaccine, which is in limited supply at all locations

Landeta said that CVS has a high-dose flu vaccine for patients 65 and older and a regular dose for those under 65.

Flu vaccine myths, debunked

Landeta said there is some information that may sound scary or deter people from wanting to get the flu vaccination, but she says a lot of it is untrue.

Myth: You should wait until flu season peaks to get your vaccine.

Landeta said that while flu season usually peaks in October or November, it’s better to get vaccinated before the flu starts spreading.

“It takes two weeks for the body to become fully immune to the vaccine and we want to make sure that individuals get vaccinated early and they’re fully protected before there is a possible outbreak of the flu so it won’t impact them,” Landeta said.

Myth: “I get sick/I get the flu from the flu shot.”

The flu shot cannot give you the flu.

“Scientifically, there is no way that through an inactivated virus that anybody can get sick from that,” Landeta said. “What, in fact, happens is that if individuals wait until too long to get their vaccine, in that two-week period for them to become immune, they’ve already come in contact with the flu and then they get the flu because they aren’t already immune to the virus.”

Myth: If you get the flu, you don’t need to get the flu shot.

Even if you come into contact with the flu and you have been diagnosed with influenza, Landetta said, you can still get the flu shot later that season to make sure you’re protected from any other possible strains.

Rite Aid customers can make an appointment using their online scheduling tool. CVS customers can book using CVS.com, through the CVS Pharmacy app or by texting FLU to 287898.

Most health insurance plans will fully cover a flu vaccine.

This story was originally published August 18, 2022 at 5:00 AM.