It's time to get your yearly flu jab
The first two years after COVID-19 arrived in South Africa, we didn't have much of a flu season. That might change this year. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) already detected flu in November 2021, months before the start of the usual yearly flu season (winter).
The best way to protect yourself from flu is to get the yearly flu vaccination as soon as the vaccine becomes available. While most cases of flu are mild, flu can lead to serious complications like sinus infections and pneumonia. And since the symptoms of flu can look like COVID-19, flu symptoms also mean your doctor will send you for an uncomfortable COVID-19 test.
Why should I worry about flu (again)?
The things we do to prevent COVID-19 from spreading (wearing a mask, social distancing and washing hands) also protect us from other germs like flu. As the COVID-19 regulations relax, viruses like the flu spread more easily.
Professor Cohen from the NICD thinks flu might start doing the rounds again because of "an immunity gap due to influenza not circulating for two years (2020 and 2021) in South Africa". Getting the flu vaccine can help protect you from this gap. The vaccine will let your immune system defend you from flu so you either won't get sick at all, or you won't become seriously ill.
When should I get vaccinated? Can I get my COVID-19 and flu shots at the same time?
The flu vaccine usually comes out at the end of March or April. While you should get vaccinated as soon as you can, you can get vaccinated against flu any time in winter.
You can get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu at the same time. If you go to a clinic that does both vaccinations, they will usually inject the COVID-19 vaccine in the one arm and your flu vaccine in the other arm.
Your cover for the flu vaccine
We pay for the consultation to have someone inject your flu vaccine using your available day-to-day benefits. How we we pay for the flu vaccine depends on your age and your health.
We pay for the flu vaccine from the Screening and Prevention Benefit (without using your day-to-day benefits) if you are:
- 65 years or older, or
- Registered for certain chronic conditions.
Otherwise, we cover your flu vaccine from your available day-to-day benefits. If you've used up your benefits, you have to pay for the vaccination yourself.
Vaccination spares you the unpleasantness of feeling poorly and prevents serious illness. Keep your vaccinations up to date.
Sources
Director General of Health. National COVID-19 vaccination programme circular of 2022, 20 February 2022.
National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Alert: Increase in influenza cases in South Africa, 17 November 2021. Accessed 7 March 2022.