BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Physicians at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (Blue Cross) encourage everyone to protect themselves, their family and friends from the flu this season by getting vaccinated.
Though the incidence of flu is currently low, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an alert warning of a surge in flu activity, especially among young adults and on college campuses. That raises concern about virus spread as Americans travel for the holidays.
"The last place you want to be this holiday season is an ER with the flu," said Dr. Tom Hawkins, a senior medical director at Blue Cross. "Our medical facilities are already at capacity with COVID-19 patients and those who are receiving overdue care delayed due the pandemic. Doctors and nurses are exhausted after two years of battling COVID. Protect yourself and help take the stress off our caregivers by getting the flu shot."
Public health officials agree that the flu vaccine, like vaccines for COVID-19, are safe, reduce your risk of getting infected and, if you are infected, largely prevent serious illness, hospitalizations and death. You can safely receive the both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines in the same visit.
Flu vaccines are widely available and can be administered by your doctor, at your neighborhood pharmacy, urgent care clinic or health center. The national vaccine finder, https://www.vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/ is an easy-to-use tool to locate a vaccine provider. The flu vaccine is free for most people with health insurance. Many community health centers, and other non-profit organizations offer free flu clinics for those without insurance.
To educate members and the community about the safety and effectiveness of the flu vaccine and encourage vaccination, Blue Cross has launched a multi-channel media campaign that includes emails to members and posts on its Facebook and Twitter channels. Blue Cross also offers a wealth of information on its flu resources page at bluecrossma.org/flu and on its public news site Coverage, including a Flu FAQ, the truth about flu , and links to in-depth articles including; Why the flu shot is more important than ever this year, Why it's safe to get both the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable and equitable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
