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The Case For Getting Both Shots At Once
Could two shots end up making them feel worse than they would after just one?
Not necessarily, Sheffield said. Youre just turning on your immune system and it depends on how you feel when your immune system turns on. Some people have a stronger response that makes them feverish or achey for a longer period of time than other people.
Her advice?
If you want to feel bad for only one time, then you get them together, she said. Its really your preference.
What the medical community wants to avoid is having concerns about either vaccine causing people not to get the other one, because theyre both important, Sheffield said, especially as hospitals in Utah and around the country are being hard-hit by the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly contagious delta variant.
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On top of that, its not clear just how bad the flu season will be this year, following virtually no cases last winter due to masking, social distancing, limits on gatherings and other measures mandated to stop the spread of the coronavirus that have largely been curtailed.
Its still a little too early to tell whether were going to have a normal flu season, still have a low rate like we had last year or have a very high rate, which is possible. Many times, after youve had little influenza going around, you tend to have a more vigorous season, she said.
Another 20 Utahns Have Died From Covid
Editors note The Salt Lake Tribune is providing free access to critical stories about the coronavirus. Sign up for our Top Stories newsletter, sent to your inbox every morning. To support journalism like this, please donate or become a .
Twenty more COVID-19 deaths were reported in Utah in the past day, according to the state health department, bringing the death toll to 3,528.
One of the deaths was a woman between the ages of 18 and 24 in Salt Lake County one week after another woman in that age group died. Since the pandemic began, there have been 20 deaths in the broader 15 to 24 age group. Health officials said the two young women who recently died were both at least 18.
Two of the deaths reported Tuesday were between the ages of 25 and 44, and three were between the ages of 45 and 64.
The Utah Department of Health reported 1,195 new coronavirus cases in the past day, and the rolling seven-day average of new positive cases stands at 1,127.
The number of children getting vaccinated continues to climb 66,782 children ages 5-11 have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since they became eligible thats about 18.3% of kids that age in Utah, according to the health department.
Intensive care units in the state remain near capacity. UDOH reported Tuesday that 91.5% of all ICU beds in Utah and 96.3% of ICU beds in larger medical centers in the state are occupied. . Of all ICU patients, 42.9% are being treated for COVID-19.
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Does Cvs At Salt Lake City Utah Offer Flu Shots
Flu shots are available at CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations, including CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations found in Target, every day, including evenings and weekends. Schedule your flu shot ahead of time so you can get in and out faster. Provide your insurance information and answer questions online ahead of time. Find more flu shot FAQs and other flu vaccination resources.
*FOR FLU SHOTS: Flu shots available when immunizing pharmacist or MinuteClinic health care provider is on duty. Age restrictions apply. Eligible patients will not pay any copayments unless otherwise required by their plan, including Medicare Part B.Back
*FOR FLU SHOT RECOMMENDATION: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frequently asked influenza questions: 2020-2021 season. Updated July 28, 2020. Available at: . Accessed August 3, 2020. Back
Providers Throughout The State Wednesday Began Opening Vaccine Appointments For The Age Group
Jason Miller holds his daughter, Nina, as she is vaccinated against COVID-19 by Tenzin Drongsar at South Main Public Health Center in South Salt Lake on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
Arya Martinez made it clear, squirming on her moms lap, that she did not like the needle.
Arya, 7, covered her eyes when her 10-year-old brother, Kirav, received his jab of the child-sized dose of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday at a South Salt Lake clinic one of the first locations in Utah where children ages 5 to 11 could receive it.
When it was her turn, Arya was hesitant, even though nurse Tenzin Drongsar made her giggle when she wiggled the girls arm. Aryas mom, Dr. Amrapali Shah, reassured her daughter. Youre going to laugh afterward, because its not going to be that big a deal, Shah said.
In the moment, it was a big deal, and Shah and Drongsar used several tactics to calm Arya down. Lollipops were produced. Ice cream was mentioned. Finally, Arya bravely pulled her sleeve up to expose her bicep, and let out a small squeal when the needle went in.
Just as quickly, Drongsar declared, cheerily, And, done!
The South Main Public Health Center saw a steady stream of young children coming to get vaccinated Wednesday, said Gabe Moreno, spokesman for the Salt Lake County Health Department, which operates the center.
Dr. Michelle Hofmann, UDOHs deputy director, said local health departments have larger clinics that parents can take their children to more quickly.
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Acceptable Forms Of Id
When you come for your vaccine, you will be asked to show ID. Acceptable forms of ID include driver license, government issued ID, birth certificate, foreign issued government ID, passport, student ID, expired passport/driver license, or utility bill.
For those who are under the age of 18, no ID is required. However, minors do need to be accompanied by an adult who must present their ID.
How to receive the COVID-19 vaccine
The COVID-19 vaccine is available at the following locations:
Children Birth To 18 Years
Flu and all other ACIP recommended vaccines are always available for low or no cost through the Vaccines for Children Program. For more information , click below:
Influenza and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis.
To learn more about COVID-19, visit Coronavirus .
To learn more about flu, visit Influenza .
It is possible to have the flu, as well as other respiratory illnesses, and COVID-19 at the same time. Health experts are still studying how common this can be.
Some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, making it hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Diagnostic testing can help determine if you are sick with flu or COVID-19.
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Who Should Get Their Flu Vaccine During The Covid
Annual flu vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, with rare exceptions, because it is an effective way to decrease flu illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the overall burden of respiratory illnesses is important to protect vulnerable populations at risk for severe illness, the healthcare system, and other critical infrastructure. Thus, healthcare providers should use every opportunity during the influenza vaccination season to administer influenza vaccines to all eligible persons, including
- Essential workers: Including healthcare personnel and other critical infrastructure workforce
- Persons at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19: Including adults aged 65 years and older, residents in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and persons of all ages with certain underlying medical conditions. Severe illness from COVID-19 has been observed to disproportionately affect members of certain racial/ethnic minority groups
- Persons at increased risk for serious influenza complications: Including infants and young children, children with neurologic conditions, pregnant women, adults aged 65 years and older, and other persons with certain underlying medical conditions
A Flu Shootout Event With Covid
The Tri-County Health Department, which serves Uintah, Duchesne and Daggett counties, is planning on providing COVID-19 vaccines including boosters for Utahns who are eligible at four Flu Shootout events Oct. 6 and 7 in Vernal, Manila, Roosevelt and Duchesne.
Were excited to be out in the community with flu shots again this year. I encourage everyone to get the flu shot each fall. My family and I get the flu shot each year in part to reduce our risk of getting sick, but also to help make sure we arent spreading the flu to others during the holidays. TriCounty health officer Kirk Benge, said.
Benge said hes also pleased that this year we will have COVID-19 vaccines available at the same time. Anyone that is in need of a first or second dose or anyone wanting a Pfizer booster dose is welcome to get it, or get it alongside their flu shot this year.
But the Utah County Health Department said the shots are not being offered together at larger vaccination sites, department spokeswoman Aislynn Toleman-Hill said, because the high demand for COVID-19 booster shots has made that option logistically difficult.
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Rd Mrna Dose Now Available For Those Immunocompromised
Currently, CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. A third dose for those immunocompromised is different than a booster dose. This includes people who have:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response
People should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.
Visit the CDC website to learn more.
Sign up for a immunocompromised 3rd dose on our scheduler, found here.
*This option is currently not available for those who received the J& J vaccine.
Track case counts and vaccination rates here:
How Do I Prevent It
The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:
- Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
- Avoid touching your face
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain , especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
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As Younger Utah Kids Get The Jab See Where Covid
Arya Martinez made it clear, squirming on her moms lap, that she did not like the needle.
Arya, 7, covered her eyes when her 10-year-old brother, Kirav, received his jab of the child-sized dose of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday at a South Salt Lake clinic one of the first locations in Utah where children ages 5 to 11 could receive it.
When it was her turn, Arya was hesitant, even though nurse Tenzin Drongsar made her giggle when she wiggled the girls arm. Aryas mom, Dr. Amrapali Shah, reassured her daughter. Youre going to laugh afterward, because its not going to be that big a deal, Shah said.
In the moment, it was a big deal, and Shah and Drongsar used several tactics to calm Arya down. Lollipops were produced. Ice cream was mentioned. Finally, Arya bravely pulled her sleeve up to expose her bicep, and let out a small squeal when the needle went in.
Just as quickly, Drongsar declared, cheerily, And, done!
The South Main Public Health Center saw a steady stream of young children coming to get vaccinated Wednesday, said Gabe Moreno, spokesman for the Salt Lake County Health Department, which operates the center.
Across Utah, health care providers began opening COVID-19 vaccine appointments to children ages 5 to 11 after federal officials on Tuesday issued a green light for the kid-size Pfizer shot.
It didnt really hurt, Kirav said after the fact. If anything, the flu shot was worse.
Flu Hospitalizations Trend Down Nationwide As Covid
ByLauren Bennett, KSL.com | Posted – Nov. 5, 2020 at 8:07 p.m.
Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY As COVID-19 cases continue to overwhelm health care systems nationwide, with Utah’s current hospitalizations hitting 389 as of Thursday, flu cases have been reportedly low across the nation.
There are no patients currently hospitalized in the Beehive State with the flu, according to the most recent Utah Department of Health data from Oct. 24, and seasonal influenza activity across the U.S. remains low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“If somebody has signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and they test negative, in my mind, that’s still COVID-19,” Intermountain Healthcare Dr. Eddie Stenehjem said in a recent Q& A.
Respiratory virus surveillance across Utah within the Intermountain Healthcare system has shown there aren’t any other viral respiratory pathogens like influenza and rhinovirus widely circulating, Stenehjem said.
“So if somebody has a viral respiratory illness with fever, cough and myalgia and things like that, that’s COVID, regardless of what your test says because there’s nothing else circulating,” he said.
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Vaccines Arent Just For You
Utahns need to remember that vaccines not only protect the person getting the shot, but those around them as well, Stevenson said, although even those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 meaning its been two weeks or more since their final dose can still contract a breakthrough case and spread the virus, even without showing symptoms.
Weneed to be conscientious that, just like the drunk driver affects other people by the decision they make to drink and drive, my decision to get a vaccine impacts other people either directly or indirectly, Stevenson said. Thats true of any communicable disease.
There are already efforts in Utah to promote getting an annual flu shot along with the COVID-19 vaccine, including at doctors offices and at local pharmacies, where about 70% of Salt Lake County residents are currently getting their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Salt Lake County is offering the flu vaccine to those showing up for COVID-19 booster shots at the countys five health care clinics, Stevenson said, and encouraging doctors and pharmacists who are giving coronavirus shots to do the same.
Can You Get The Flu And Covid Shot On The Same Day
According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines may be administered without regard to the timing of other vaccines. This includes simultaneous administration of COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines on the same day. In other words, COVID-19 vaccines can be given on the same day as flu shots.
The Salt Lake County Health Department has partnered with Optum Care Network at the Sandy drive-thru event to offer all versions of the COVID-19 vaccine while supplies last on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be 65 or older to be eligible to get the flu shot and/or the COVID-19 vaccine.
Influenza and COVID-19 are both contagious illnesses that affect the respiratory system and can cause some serious illnesses in certain people. Despite their similarities, COVID-19 and influenza are caused by different strains of the virus and are different in many ways as well. Specifically, the Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than earlier forms of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. 3
Compared to flu, COVID-19 can cause more serious illnesses in certain people, can take longer for people to show symptoms, and can be contagious for longer. COVID-19 also seems to spread more easily than the flu.
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