CARMEL — Health officials are sharing warnings about the upcoming flu season in hopes of avoiding what they're calling a "twindemic" during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts say getting the flu shot as early as possible could help as the flu season and COVID-19 pandemic collide.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has always recommended getting the flu shot as soon as the vaccine is available, said Donna Bopp, infection prevention program manager at IU Health North Hospital.
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"You want to be vaccinated before the first cases of flu start to show up because if you wait, it takes your body up to two weeks to produce antibodies and therefore if you're exposed you could get sick," Bopp said.
It's possible for someone to get COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.
"If enough people get vaccinated, we can reduce the number of flu cases and therefore reduce the burden already placed on the hospital by the pandemic," Bopp said.
