Michiganders are preparing to face what is expected to be a severe flu season this fall. With the combination of the flu and COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses. Now health entities in the Mount Pleasant area are preparing for a simultaneous outbreak of both illnesses.

In a press conference on Aug. 25, Whitmer announced Michigan’s “Facing the Flu Together” campaign. The goal of “Facing the Flu Together” is to increase the number of Michigan residents who receive the flu vaccination by 33 percent compared to the 2019-2020 season.

“I hope that schools and colleges and any programs that anticipate face-to-face instruction work very concertedly with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to promote the importance of flu vaccinations in their communities,” Whitmer said during the press conference.

With the increased need for accessible vaccinations, the MDHHS has partnered with community organizations to launch more than 20 neighborhood testing sites across the entire state in the coming weeks. Whitmer said the testing will be free and hosted by churches, community colleges, and non-profit organizations.

The idea is that if more people can get vaccinated, it will prevent overcrowding in hospitals of communities that are already being hit hard by COVID-19, she said.

Peak flu season is September-April. During the previous flu season, CMU Health saw approximately 250 flu cases on campus, while MidMichigan Medical Center admitted 218 patients with positive flu tests.

“It’s going to be difficult to tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19 symptoms as both illnesses produce respiratory symptoms,” said Lydia Watson, chief medical officer and senior vice president at MidMichigan Medical Center. “In addition, it’s possible to have both infections at the same time. Testing needs to be done to determine if your symptoms are flu or COVID-19.”

Receiving the vaccination is advised by the CDC in September and October, but is available throughout the entirety of flu season. Watson explained it takes up to two weeks after receiving the vaccine for the body to build up immunity, so Michigan residents should get vaccinated now before flu activity increases.

As CMU continues to pursue face-to-face classes, there is an urgency in Mount Pleasant for medical supplies and vaccinations in the area.

“Whenever you have an influx of population in a community, we are seeing more COVID cases. They are primarily college-aged students, many of them not from this area,” said Linda Cornell, board-certified Infection Preventionist at McLaren Central Michigan hospital. “Our numbers have not been significantly high in the Mount Pleasant area since COVID-19 hit the scene, but our numbers are going up now that school is back in place.”

Active prevention against COVID-19 consists of washing your hands, wearing a mask, and maintaining social distancing. These same actions will also help to prevent against the flu, which will have similar symptoms to COVID-19 Cornell said.

“The thing people need to remember is we have a vaccine for the flu. We do not have one yet for COVID-19,” Cornell said. “The flu shots protect against several different strains of the flu. Each year that vaccine is targeted for specific influenza viruses. Typically with the flu shot, it does save lives. People may still get the flu but the chances of them dying from it is pretty non-existent."

CMU Health hopes to have information about flu vaccinations available on campus in the coming days. According to Dr. George E. Kikano, CMU vice president for health affairs and dean of the CMU College of Medicine, CMU Health administered more than 1,300 doses of the vaccine on campus in 2018-19. In 2019-20, that number increased to 1,700 doses.

"All of the preparation CMU Health has taken for COVID-19 is appliable to the flu," Kikano said. "Remember, Central Michigan counties never had the surge of COVID-19 that other communities in the state experienced. We also hope because of COVID-19, more people will be interested in flu vaccination. If people vaccinate and follow COVID-19 guidelines, we should see fewer incidents of flu."

The CDC announced flu vaccination is available now and free with most insurance. A vaccine finder on their website locates providers in the area such as Walgreens, Meijer, and Walmart who are now offering walk-in vaccinations in Mount Pleasant.

Carol Shu, Pharmacist at the Walgreens on Mission St. said this year there has been an increase in elderly patients compared to the past year. Shu is worried their high dose shot will have problems getting in stock come October with having had this problem in previous years.

While the increase in COVID-19 continues and the flu season begins it will most heavily affect infants, children, people over 65, pregnant women, and people with health conditions or weakened immune systems. However, everyone is at risk for flu complications.

“Students are living in a dorm, they have to be close to roommates," Shu said. "They definitely need to protect their immune system and have the flu shot to protect themselves. Especially during a pandemic, it is the best way to just keep people healthy.”