As flu season begins, health officials in mid-Michigan are urging people not to neglect their annual flu shot.
Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail says it’s important to remember that being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 does not mean you're protected from the flu.
Still, Vail notes, in 2020 cases of influenza nationwide dipped to their lowest point in history in part because of the strict protocols used to ward off the coronavirus.
“People got vaccinated for flu at literally record numbers; we went through flu season wearing masks and with measures in place like capacity limits and things like that that would naturally also help with flu season,” Vail said.
The CDC says it’s safe to get vaccinated for both COVID-19 and flu at the same time.
In Michigan, health officials have set a goal of vaccinating 4 million people against the flu this season.