Campaign underway to encourage more minorities to get flu shot

DALLAS - While the nation and our health care system have been focused on this season of the COVID-19 pandemic, flu season begins this month.

This flu season, a national campaign is underway to get more minorities vaccinated.

In the coronavirus pandemic and the flu season coming, nearly 40% of Blacks and browns are undecided about getting a flu shot, according to a summer survey by the Ad Council.

“Unfortunately, the data show that particularly Black and Latinx communities are under vaccinated,” explained Dr. Patrice Harris with the American Medical Association. “But you know what? In a study of over the last ten years, have higher rates of hospitalization due to the flu.

The American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control and the Ad Council are pushing a national flu vaccination campaign urging everyone get a flu shot.

Targeting people of color, the campaign is called “No one has time for flu.”

“African Americans, Hispanics, Latinos and American Indians have been hospitalized five times more than their white counterparts as part of the COVID-19 pandemic,” explained Dr. Leandris Liburd with the CDC.

FILE - A woman receives a flu shot. A CDC report found that this year's flu vaccine doesn't match the virus circulating. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

“Vaccines can help prevent and/or reduce the severity of the flu,” Dr. Harris said. “It’s so important for everyone, particularly the message is for Black Latinx community members, to get their flu vaccine.”

Women, including expectant mothers, are also strongly urged to get a flu shot.

“A pregnant woman getting a flu shot not only protects her but protects her baby as well both during the pregnancy as well as a newborn,” Dr. Liburd said.

The same things we've done to keep coronavirus at bay are the same things we need to do to try and keep the influenza virus away.

“Continue to wear a mask, to wash your hands.,” Dr. Liburd said. “Do what we call now: roll-up your sleeve and get a flu shot.”

The doctors say October is prime time to get your flu shot.

Some county health departments are running low on vaccines, but supplies are coming.

The CDC has purchased 18 million flu shots for children and 10 million for adults to be distributed free or at low cost.