Northwest Arkansas health officials urge flu shots

SPRINGDALE -- Health care professionals are urging people to get flu shots this year because of the double threat of getting the flu and covid-19 at the same time.

"It's hard to predict what the true impact is going to be, but we know this year is not a normal year," said Judd Semingson, chief executive officer at Community Clinic, which has several health centers throughout Northwest Arkansas.

Community Clinic has the flu vaccine available and will continue to receive shipments of the vaccine, he said. The vaccine is widely available at other health care clinics and commercial pharmacies in the region, he said.

Representatives of Mercy Health System, Northwest Health, Washington Regional Medical System and Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas said their clinics are offering flu shots.

The state Health Department offers flu shots at all of its county health units, including ones in Rogers, Fayetteville and Siloam Springs, according to Danyelle McNeill, spokeswoman. The department bills insurance for patients who have it and does not charge patients without insurance. People with insurance will not pay out of pocket, regardless of whether they have met their deductibles.

Flu season begins

It is possible to have the flu and covid-19 simultaneously, Semingson said. Both viruses are respiratory illnesses and can cause similar symptoms such as fever or difficulty breathing.

Semingson said the flu vaccine is effective at preventing the flu. When it doesn't, it can still shorten the amount of time people are sick with the virus or lessen their symptoms.

The flu vaccine is highly safe for people older than 6 months and rarely results in significant side effects, Semingson said. People who are allergic to eggs should consult with their doctors because flu vaccines are commonly derived from eggs, he said.

Similarly to covid-19, older people and people with underlying health conditions are more at risk for becoming severely ill with the flu. However, young and healthy people can become critically ill or die from either virus, Semingson said. He added getting the flu shot can help ease the burden on hospitals already caring for covid-19 patients.

The flu vaccine can vary in effectiveness from year to year. How the vaccine is made can also vary slightly depending on how effective it was in past years and what scientists expect to see in the upcoming flu season, Semingson said.

Two main types of the flu, strains A and B, routinely spread in people and are responsible for the seasonal flu each year, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A study on the CDC website shows 1,158, or 43%, of 2,723 people who tested positive for either flu A or B had received the flu vaccine in the 2019-20 flu season. Of 6,121 people who tested negative for the flu, 3,414, or about 56%, had received the flu vaccine.

Of 26 cases reported to the CDC since late September, one-half were strain A and one-half were B. The CDC recommends everyone older than 6 months get a vaccine by the end of October.

The Arkansas Department of Health typically releases weekly flu reports during flu season, which include data such as how many cases, deaths and hospitalizations the state has. The department released its first report of the season Tuesday showing two cases that were confirmed since Sept. 27, according to the report. Both of the cases were in people under 18.

Shots at schools

Deborah Keith, health services coordinator at Bentonville public schools, said while it's too early to tell how severe the flu will be within schools this season, it is reasonable to expect the spread of the flu to be mitigated because students, staff and faculty are already wearing masks to prevent the prevent the spread of covid-19. Keith pointed out the flu, like covid-19, is a respiratory virus that can be spread through respiratory droplets and prevented by social distancing, mask-wearing and hand-washing.

"We might be killing two birds with one stone," she said.

She said flu shots are important during the covid-19 pandemic because, while they will not protect against the coronavirus, they can at least prevent someone from contracting both illnesses at once.

"We do not want a kid or staff member to get the flu on top of covid," Keith said.

Bentonville Public Schools will offer flu shots to students, faculty and staff from Tuesday to Nov. 5, Keith said. The Health Department is providing the shots, and they will be available to students attending school in-person or online.

The department has plans to work with all school districts, except for Rogers, in Benton and Washington counties to offer flu shots, according to McNeill. Rogers public schools does not have plans for an on-site flu clinic, according to Ashley Siwiec, spokeswoman.

Springdale public schools began offering flu shots Oct. 1 and will continue to do so through Nov. 9, according to Rick Schaeffer, spokesman.

Community Clinic has health centers at schools in the Fayetteville, Springdale, Siloam Springs, Prairie Grove and Pea Ridge school districts. Flu shots are available at the health centers to students, parents, faculty and staff in the districts, regardless of whether they attend or work at the campus where the health centers are based, Semingson said.

The centers bill insurance for people who have it or charge $28 for people without insurance.