Sanford Health is prepared to continue its battle with the COVID-19 pandemic while also taking on flu season.
It’s a challenge — a unique one in history— but one the Sanford Health community is prepared to meet.
“Am I concerned about our ability to work through it? I would say no,” said Dr. Jeremy Cauwels, Sanford Health senior vice president of clinic quality.
“We’ve already made our plans for the flu season. We already know we’re getting extra doses of flu shots. We are expecting more people to be interested in that. We want to be able to provide flu vaccinations for everybody who is interested.”
Immunization team effort
To support those plans, Sanford Health’s immunization team works together to make sure the health system is meeting the latest health and safety guidelines. The team also is finding new ways to get flu shots to the communities it serves.
“We’re employing strategies that will allow us to vaccinate a larger number of people in a shorter period of time,” said Andrea Polkinghorn, Sanford Health’s immunization strategy leader. “We will do this by implementing interventions to protect our patients from COVID but ensure they are protected from influenza.”
Learn more: Flu shots at Sanford Health
Sanford has added locations providing flu shots this year. Now the vaccine is available:
- At primary care appointments
- At flu shot events
- At specialty care appointments
- From drive-through and curbside flu vaccination locations
Sanford will also have a system in place for immunizing hospitalized patients.
Anticipating increased demand, Sanford has increased its flu vaccine supply by about 25% over last year. Nationwide, vaccine manufacturers have projected they will supply 194 to 198 million doses of influenza vaccine for the 2020-2021 season, according to the CDC. That would be a 20-million-dose increase over the year before.
Importance of vaccinations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. The bottom line: Get the influenza vaccine to protect yourself and your community.
“The best way to protect yourself from getting the flu is to get the flu shot every season,” said Sarah Prenger, Sanford Health’s senior executive director of Primary Care and Behavioral Health. “It is extra important this year because we are in the middle of a pandemic. By getting that flu vaccine, you’re decreasing your risk of getting sick with the flu or being hospitalized.”
In that sense, the vaccine also plays a role in conserving health care resources for those people who need it for the coronavirus.
Ultimately, comprehensive vaccination plans will always be collaborative efforts involving health care providers and the community.
“The true heroes are Sanford Health’s front-line staff,” Prenger said. “It’s the nurses and physicians in our clinics and our hospitals. Everyone is working very hard to get ready for the flu season because it’s going to look different than any we’ve ever experienced.”
Read more
- COVID-19 Q&A: Preparing for new school year, flu season
- What you need to know about the flu and the flu vaccine
- Preparation through vaccination key to staying flu-free
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Posted In COVID-19, Flu, Immunizations
