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‘Let’s get the flu shot’: CDC launches new initiative ahead of flu season

ATLANTA — You may soon see more reminders to get the flu shot.

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a new initiative that has a simple message: No one has time for the flu.

If you’ve ever had the actual flu, you know it can just wipe you out for days.

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Channel 2′s Linda Stouffer spoke with Dr. Willie Underwood and Dr. Leandris Liburd about the flu vaccination rates.

“We are particularly concerned about our African American and Hispanic and Latino communities and what is really low coverage for flu vaccinations,” Liburd said.

The doctors hope the social media campaign will get more people’s attention. The new “get my flu shot” website has information and answers.

After a very light flu season last year, health professionals said now that more people are back at school and work, this year could be worse.

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“We’re extremely worried as the covid virus mutates and changes that we’re going to have a combination of ramping up of the flu rates and then covid in some areas of the country,” Underwood said.

“Typically people of color have higher rates of underlying condition like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes other conditions that have compromised their immune system so getting a flu shot is protective,” Liburd said.

“Remember this, the people who get sickest and die from the flu are our children, zero to four and our grandparents, and let’s love them and love ourselves and let’s get the flu shot,” Underwood said.

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It takes about two weeks from the time of the flu shot to get full protection.

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