Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — In preparation for flu season, Gov. Roy Cooper got his flu shot on Friday at the Wake County Public Health Center and encouraged North Carolinians to do the same.

“The flu can be a serious, sometimes deadly disease, and getting a flu shot can help you and those around you fight the spread,” Cooper said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, getting a flu shot is more important than ever to keep ourselves and our families healthy.”

Recent data have shown that it is possible for a person to be co-infected with both COVID-19 and influenza, making vaccination critical as people prepare for flu season during the ongoing pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season, with rare exceptions for few uncommon health conditions. In North Carolina, flu infections are most common from late fall to early spring with activity usually peaking in January or February.

Flu shots are available at hospitals, pharmacies, private medical offices, some federally qualified health care centers and local health departments. Visit vaccinefinder.org/find-vaccine to find locations in your community.

In addition to getting a flu shot, North Carolinians can protect against the flu by continuing to practice the 3 Ws, which have helped slow the spread of COVID-19 across the state: wear a face covering, wait six feet apart from others and wash hands often with soap and water.

These simple actions can help prevent the spread of any respiratory illness, including COVID-19 and influenza.

LEARN MORE

More information about flu is available online through the Division of Public Health and from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu. For information about COVID-19 in North Carolina, visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov.