HYANNIS – Governor Charlie Baker recently urged residents to get influenza vaccinations as the fall season approaches and the flu season begins.
The administration said that flu vaccinations will help preserve medical resources and ease strain on the health care systems already taxed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s critical that we do everything we can to minimize the impact of the flu and other respiratory illnesses. This will keep people healthy and help maintain capacity in hospitals and other health care facilities in case there is another surge associated with COVID-19,” said Baker.
Baker said that he was pleased with the low transmission levels of COVID-19 within the region, but warned that the virus is still present and spreading through the Commonwealth.
Baker said that, earlier in the pandemic, health care workers in communication with the Baker-Polito Administration warned that the upcoming flu season could create many challenges for the state.
“The point they made to us at that time was that from a diagnostic point of view, from a care delivery point of view, from a capacity point of view, having the flu and COVID-19 surge in the Commonwealth at exactly the same time would be an incredibly difficult situation for them to make their way through,” said Baker.
Baker said that the mandate requiring students attending kindergarten through college in Massachusetts to receive a vaccination was also issued to help ensure health care workers can do the best job possible amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A drive-thru flu clinic will be hosted at the Barnstable County complex on September 26 from 8 am to 12 pm, no appointment necessary.
The Orleans Health Department will also be hosting a flu vaccine clinic at the Department of Public Works Building on Wednesday, October 14 from 9 am to 11:30 am. Pre-registration for the Orleans clinic is required, which can be made by clicking here.
More pandemic information and resources from the state can be found here.
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