COVID-19 and flu cases expected to rise, Colorado health officials urge vaccinations now

Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic was declared over by the federal government, but immunizations right alongside flu shots are now being presented as the best way to protect you and your family as we creep closer to winter. 

State epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said while the flu follows a known pattern, (and COVID seems to be following the same one) there is not enough data to say when the next COVID outbreak would hit.

"There is a more typical respiratory virus season when we think about influenza and RSV, we think typically the season being October through May with really the greatest likelihood of transmission probably occurring sometime November through February," Herlihy said. "But we know that they're all unpredictable, and when it comes to COVID-19, we're still really learning more about the patterns of transmission and the seasonality of that virus."

COVID-19 boosters are being offered along with flu shots and new RSV shots at Kroger pharmacies (either King Soopers or City Market, region depending!), and pharmacist Ursula Fiala said they're seeing an estimated 200 patients a week who are coming to get protected.  

"We're seeing basically equal amounts of flu medications and COVID medications being dispensed," Fiala explained, showing the need for care on either infection. 

Still we're not anywhere close to where we were during the start of 2020. Herlihy said while COVID-19 is still a very serious infection we still know little about, it's mostly our most vulnerable at this point who are at risk of things like hospitalizations. 

"Thankfully we are in a much better place now than we were at the beginning of the pandemic," Herlihy explained. "So we're in a situation where severe disease is much less likely because we have vaccines on board, we have treatment available for people and people have also had prior infections."

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's new combo-viral respiratory diseases report tracker page outlines the spikes we saw last year with influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, noticeably starting in mid or late November. That's why said now is the right time to get your shots. 

"It takes about two weeks to gain the full benefit of those vaccines," Fiala explained. "With the holidays coming up, it's the perfect time."

You can schedule an appointment with a local King Soopers pharmacy here.