Bad Flu Season May Be Coming Soon To Chicago Area, Doctor Warns

CHICAGO, IL — With a potentially bad flu season looming, Chicago health authorities are warning residents to get their shots now.

Of particular concern to the Chicago Department of Public Health is the difficult flu season Australia is currently experiencing, which suggests a possible similar flu season for the Northern Hemisphere in the coming fall and winter months.

Authorities are encouraging those who haven’t done so already to get a flu shot as well as an updated coronavirus bivalent booster designed to target the Omicron subvariants. The health department has scheduled more than 75 free vaccine clinics this fall.

“This is not the year to skip your flu vaccine,” department Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a news release. “Every year, flu vaccination prevents illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Getting your flu shot — in addition to being up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccines — helps protect from serious illness as we enter the winter months.”

It’s unknown when the flu season will start, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Chicago department recommend anyone six months or older get the flu shot by the end of October, the department said. Some people may experience arm soreness and flu-like symptoms lasting 48-72 hours after receiving either the flu or COVID-19 vaccine.

The flu is the result of a virus that can cause symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches and extreme fatigue, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea sometimes also occur.

Most people who get the flu recover completely in a week or two, but some develop serious and potentially life-threatening complications, such as pneumonia. Over the past decade, influenza and pneumonia have been associated with an average of 3,500 deaths per year in Illinois, the state department said.

It is especially important for people who are at higher risk of being exposed to or developing serious complications from the flu and coronavirus to get vaccinated, according to the Chicago health department. These groups include:

• People 50 and older, who account for the majority of hospitalizations and deaths from flu and COVID-19;
• People with underlying medical conditions like lung disease, heart disease, neurologic disorders, weakened immune systems and diabetes;
• Pregnant people and people up to two weeks after the end of pregnancy;
• African American, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaskan Native people, who are disproportionally affected by diseases like asthma, diabetes, obesity and other chronic conditions that can increase the risk for serious flu and coronavirus complications;
• People who live with or care for those who are most vulnerable to serious flu and COVID-19 illness and death;
• Essential workers who have frequent interactions with the public and are therefore more likely to be exposed to the flu and coronavirus.

For an updated calendar of vaccine events, visit Chicago.gov/VaxCalendar or call 312-746-4835. Both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are free. Vaccinations are also available at healthcare providers and pharmacies, and can be found at vaccines.gov.

For more information, visit dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/influenza.html.