SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — After unusually low levels of infection during the 2020 flu season, pharmacists in the Syracuse area are worried about what could come in 2021.
Due to the pandemic last year, many wore masks in public to avoid contracting COVID-19. Mask wearing, along with social distancing and quarantining, helped lead to a 0.2% positivity rate during last year’s flu season. Further, 2%-7% more of the public got the flu vaccine last year compared to the 2019 season. With the COVID-19 vaccine available to those over the age of 11, it is extremely likely that the same measures won’t be taken this year when it comes to masking up and staying home.
Kassandra Thomas is a pharmacy manager at a Walgreens on Nottingham Road in Syracuse. Thomas has been in her current position for over a year and a half and has worked in pharmacies for the past 10 years. Thomas said that, although the Syracuse area is coming off a very successful flu season, she is anxious about what the current flu season could look like.
“I am a little bit nervous about this flu season because people are not masking up as much as last year,” Thomas said. “Last year our flu season was pretty much nonexistent.”
Thomas said that, currently, her Walgreens administers approximately 40 flu shots daily. Thomas also said that the flu in the Central New York area is usually more severe due to the cold winter weather. With the number of universities in the area, Thomas said that students also play a role in the number of flu cases. Thomas said that students should get the shot not only for their own wellbeing, but to look after those around them.
“We have a lot of younger people with the colleges around here so they might think they might not need to get the flu shot because they may not get sick,” Thomas said. “But you have to think about the community as a whole.”
Many schools currently have flu vaccine mandates in place. At Syracuse University, all students must receive the shot before Friday, Oct. 29, according to a university-affiliated website. Only those with medical and religious exemptions are excluded from the requirement.
Thomas also said that people should not be worried about getting both the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine. Thomas said that there have been no studies proving adverse effects from having both vaccines and that both shots are generally safe.
Coronavirus cases and positive rates continue to be a concern for the Syracuse area. As of October 18, Onondaga County’s positivity rate sits over 5%. You can learn more about how the virus continues to affect Central New York areas at Onondaga County’s COVID-19 Dashboard.
Flu shots are being administered at Walgreens and other pharmacies throughout Syracuse and surrounding areas. To find the closest shot clinic near you, visit the CDC’s vaccine website.
