THE LOOP — Jack Madsen has by no means gotten a flu shot. Although he not too long ago recovered from the flu, the Park Ridge resident stated he’s not planning to get vaccinated anytime quickly.
“I’ve by no means bought one and I’m nonetheless alive,” stated Madsen, 55, as he picked up a prescription Tuesday at Walgreens, 151 N. State St.
Influenza, generally often called the flu, is peaking in Chicago, and regardless of a rising variety of hospital admissions, fewer persons are getting vaccinated this flu season, in keeping with the Chicago Division of Public Well being.
Solely 23.3 p.c of Chicago residents bought flu pictures this season, “the bottom mid-season protection charge previously 4 years,” in keeping with the division’s January report.
As of Feb. 1, 25.1 p.c of Chicago residents had obtained flu pictures, in keeping with metropolis’s flu vaccine dashboard.
In the meantime, emergency division visits as a result of flu have risen dramatically, to six.2 p.c of visits as of Feb. 1 from 0.5 p.c in early December, in keeping with the town’s respiratory sickness dashboard.
This time final 12 months, flu-related emergency visits have been at 1.6 p.c, in keeping with the town dashboard.
Flu positivity charges in Chicago stay excessive, with 23 p.c of specimens testing optimistic, in keeping with the well being division’s most up-to-date weekly report. The flu positivity charge was 6.7 p.c a 12 months in the past, in keeping with the town’s dashboard. The dashboard additionally signifies excessive ranges of influenza virus focus in wastewater.
The well being division displays respiratory viruses weekly, accumulating information in collaboration with hospital, well being care and laboratory companions all through the town, in keeping with division spokesperson Jacob Martin.
Sume Chakkalakel, a workers pharmacist who has labored on the CVS at 205 N. Michigan Ave. for 9 years, stated she has observed an elevated demand for flu pictures as folks change into conscious of the spike in sicknesses.
“We had folks coming in being like, ‘Oh I didn’t get my flu shot, is it too late to get it now?’ Which it’s not,” Chakkalakel stated. “It does take two weeks so that you can construct up antibodies and for it to change into efficient. However we undoubtedly nonetheless advocate it, and we nonetheless ask all of our sufferers, each time folks fill prescriptions right here, in the event that they haven’t gotten a flu shot with us.”
Whereas it’s doable to get the flu even after being vaccinated, “folks tolerate the flu higher in the event that they’ve been vaccinated,” Chakkalakel stated.
Free flu vaccines can be found at metropolis immunization clinic areas for many who are uninsured or on Medicaid and for youngsters underneath 18. All areas settle for walk-ins, however on-line registration is extremely inspired.
Clinic areas and opening occasions are as follows:
- Larger Garden West fifty fifth Avenue: 4150 W. fifty fifth Avenue, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday
- Uptown Wilson Avenue: 845 W. Wilson Ave., 2nd degree, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Pilsen South Ashland Well being Hub: 1713 S. Ashland Ave., 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays
- Roseland East a hundred and fifteenth Avenue Well being Hub: 200 E. a hundred and fifteenth St., 2nd fl., 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays
Shirley Tam, pharmacy supervisor on the Downtown Walgreens on State Avenue, stated she hasn’t seen sufferers coming in for flu pictures in current weeks, however she has observed an elevated demand for flu-related remedies.
Retailer cabinets at three Walgreens and CVS shops within the Loop Tuesday afternoon had empty slots within the flu and chilly drugs sections.
Chakkalakel’s message to folks in search of reduction with over-the-counter chilly and flu meds: They “will solely deal with signs of the flu and received’t assist shorten the period. That’s why it’s at all times necessary that should you do have like these chilly flu signs to get seen by a supplier, in order that they will take a look at you and may prescribe antivirals like Tamiflu that will help you get higher sooner.”
For extra info on flu information in Chicago and the place to get vaccinations, go to the well being division’s web site.
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