Health Officials Urge Getting Flu Shots In Hopes Of Keeping Healthcare Systems From Being Overrun

CBS St. Louis

August 31, 2021

Health experts are hoping to repeat the historically low influenza infection levels from 2020, which were a product of more social distancing and mask-wearing in public places. This year, the hope is flu vaccines will show strong numbers as cases of COVID-19 spike and healthcare facilities look to avoid being overrun.

"What we're trying to do here is keep you safe and healthy and keep you out of the hospital so that we have hospital resources for those who are really getting sick," said Dr. Jo-Ann Jose, an infectious disease specialist at Saint Louis University Hospital.

Jose said healthcare resources are already stretched thin, so doctors are working to get as many flu shots into arms as they can before flu season begins. "The obvious fear here is that with delta in the mix, and people not necessarily taking all of their precautions, that we would land ourselves in a situation where we just don't have healthcare resources for everyone who needs it in the winter respiratory season," Jose said. "Some of those people (flu patients) get really sick. They require ICU admission, ventilator support, all of that stuff. Some of those people get bacterial pneumonia on top of their viral pneumonia, so it becomes really important to make sure we have the healthcare resources."

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