Scripps Health Launches Flu Vaccination Clinics

Following two of the mildest flu seasons in recent history, reports of a resurgence of the disease in the Southern Hemisphere this summer and the loosening of COVID-related restrictions are raising concerns in the United States that influenza may be returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Scripps Health physicians say the best way for everyone to protect themselves from the flu is to get vaccinated. Flu shots are now available at most Scripps Clinic and Scripps Coastal primary care sites across San Diego County.

“Now is the time to get vaccinated,” said Siu Ming Geary, MD, an internal medicine physician and vice president of primary care at Scripps Clinic Medical Group. “While we still don’t know how bad this flu season will be, we know for certain that vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your family against influenza.”

In Australia, where influenza typically spreads during the summer, this year’s season started historically early in April and has been worse than each of the previous five years, according to health officials there. The infection has been particularly prevalent among children and teenagers who have had little to no exposure to the virus in recent years and aren’t up to date on vaccinations.

American health experts use Australia as a barometer to predict what might be in store for the United States later in the year when flu season typically emerges here.

Beyond the physical discomfort and schedule disruptions that a routine flu infection can bring, the virus also can be deadly. During the 2019-20 flu season prior to the COVID pandemic, 105 people died from the virus in San Diego County while the disease killed as many as 22,000 nationally.

And once again, there is a possibility that a new variant of COVID could trigger another surge of coronavirus cases while influenza is spreading across the region and country this fall and winter. That would put even more strain on health systems which have been under near constant stress for the last two and a half years.

“It’s in everyone’s interest to do what we can to keep influenza in check as much as possible,” said Anthony Chong, MD, a family medicine physician and chief medical officer at Scripps Coastal Medical Center. “That means getting vaccinated, washing hands often, avoiding people who are sick, staying home and avoiding others if you have symptoms, and making sure you are current on recommended COVID vaccinations.

“It’s also safe to get both your COVID and flu vaccines at the same visit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so there is no need to wait to get one or the other,” Dr. Chong added.

Because there are many different flu viruses and they constantly evolve, this year’s vaccine is designed to cover the four strains expected to be the most common in circulation during the 2022-23 influenza season: Influenza A (H1N1), influenza A (H3N2), influenza B (Victoria) and influenza B (Yamagata). The new mix includes an update that matches up with the new version of H3N2 that emerged as the predominant strain during the 2021-22 flu season and extended the season far into summer months.