The annual flu shot remains everyone's best protection against getting the flu. But on average, only about 44% of the US population gets a flu shot every year. And even though the best time for you to get a flu shot is every October, it is not too late to get a flu shot to protect yourself from the height of the flu season.
This year, in addition to the flu, cases of RSV and COVID are also prevalent - the IEP Urgent Care offices are very busy right now seeing patients with flu, RSV, or COVID symptoms. We have all the on-site diagnostics at each location, and if appropriate, we can prescribe Tamiflu or the right prescription for each patient. But if you haven't gotten your flu shot yet, you can still protect yourself and your family at IEP Urgent Care, no appointment needed.
According to a study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases on December 13, 2023, the flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu-related emergency department and urgent care visits by almost half and hospitalizations by more than a third among US adults during the 2022–2023 season.
For even more information, here is the most-recent edition of Flu Focus from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services - a weekly report of influenza data from throughout the state of Michigan.