Mayor Marcia Leclerc Encourages Residents to Get Vaccinated

As we are approaching the flu season, I find it necessary to stress that getting a flu shot this fall is more important than ever. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states the best times to get vaccinated are in September and October. Please understand, a bad flu season with high numbers of hospitalizations, combined with COVID-19, could overburden hospitals across the country and cause avoidable alarm and confusion. Additionally, please don’t let your guard down as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please, continue to help our community reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus and protect yourself, your family, our residents and especially those most vulnerable by adhering to social distancing, wearing facemasks and following recommended precautions.

Influenza and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, meaning that people who think they have COVID-19, in reality may have the flu. Therefore, if symptomatic, patients will need to be tested for both influenza and COVID-19. Considering, the tests use some of the same equipment, this will place a strain on supplies.

And while there’s some suggestion that mask wearing and social distancing measures in other countries lessened the flu’s impact, some may not be taking COVID-19 and the flu seriously enough to make that happen here. Gatherings of friends and family, as well as crowded bars and restaurants, have been contributing to COVID-19 spread across the country. This year for the first time, the upcoming flu season will be the first in which coronavirus and influenza will be circulating together. In fact, according to the CDC director Robert Redfield, “the fall and winter of 2020 and 2021 are going to be probably one of the most difficult times that we’ve experienced in American public health.”

Although the flu vaccine doesn't prevent you from getting the flu, it will decrease the chance of severe symptoms. Most people older than six months can and should get the flu vaccine. Please, be mindful that the flu vaccine will not protect you against this coronavirus, but we are anticipating the arrival and widespread availability of a safe COVID-19 vaccine in the future.

Please don’t let the fear of catching COVID-19 in your doctor’s office deter you from getting a flu shot. The chance of coming into contact with coronavirus in a health care setting is low, because the health care providers wear masks, surfaces are cleaned regularly and procedures are in place to avoid crowded waiting rooms. Lastly, please remember, the same measures that help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including frequent and thorough handwashing, wearing a mask, not touching your face, coughing and sneezing into a tissue or your elbow, avoiding people who are sick, and staying away from people if you are sick, also help protect against the spread of the flu and ensure our community stays as healthy as it can be.

This year, the East Hartford Health Department and its partners will be offering several flu vaccination clinics. Please continue to monitor our town website at www.easthartfordct.gov for dates, times and locations as they become available.

God Bless, 
Marcia A. Leclerc
Mayor, Town of East Hartford