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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – It’s important to get your flu vaccine because the flu and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be circulating at the same time and cause similar symptoms.
Learn more about the similarities and differences of COVID-19 and the flu.
The flu vaccine doesn’t protect you from COVID-19. But the flu vaccine could reduce flu symptoms that could be confused with COVID-19 symptoms. The flu vaccine can also help lessen the impact on health care providers and hospitals by reducing the number of people with severe flu and hospitalized with the flu.
You might be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as your flu vaccine.
Follow these precautions to reduce the spread of flu and COVID-19:
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes.
- Avoid crowds.
- Avoid anyone who is sick.
- Stay home if you’re sick.
- Clean high-touch surfaces often.
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Take other precautions to reduce your risk of COVID-19. Get vaccinated, practice social distancing, and wear a cloth face mask when you are around people outside your household when indoors and when outdoors in crowded areas if you’re not fully vaccinated.
If you are fully vaccinated and are in an area with a high number of new COVID-19 cases in the last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and outdoors in crowded areas or when you’re in close contact with unvaccinated people.
Find out more about the flu:
- COVID-19, cold, allergies and the flu: What are the differences?
- Influenza (flu)
- Flu vaccine: Safe for people with egg allergy?
- Flu shot for kids: Does my child need a flu shot?
- Flu shot in pregnancy: Is it safe?
- Flu shot: Your best bet for avoiding influenza
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Flu during a pandemic