October 23, 2020
Transcript
Brian Consiglio: As winter brings colder weather, flu season comes along with it. But now you can get a flu shot without ever getting out of your car. Throughout October, MU Health Care will be operating a drive-thru clinic providing flu vaccines to the general public.
It’s an important year to get the annual flu shot, as the influenza virus starts to circulate along with the coronavirus. MU Health Care infectious disease expert Christelle Ilboudo says it’s especially important for people in certain high-risk groups to get the flu vaccine.
Ilboudo: “People that we consider high risk are adults older than 65, young children under the age of five, especially under the age of two, and people who have certain chronic conditions.”
Consiglio: It’s possible to have both COVID-19 and influenza at the same time, so it’s a good idea for everyone to get a flu shot. The good news is that coronavirus safety precautions will also help prevent the spread of the flu.
Ilboudo: “What we've seen from other countries who've had the influenza season before us is that the social distancing measures that they have in place - the stay at home, physical distancing, the wearing of the mask and the hand hygiene - has helped decrease the rates of influenza as well.”
Consiglio: The drive-thru flu shot clinic will be held at South Providence Medical Park in Columbia from 8 a.m. until noon every Saturday through the end of October.
I’m Brian Consiglio with a Spotlight on Mizzou.
