Remember the flu? LECOM Health kicks off flu vaccine clinics at Zem Zem Shrine

Mildred Schultz, 90, drove herself Friday morning to the Zem Zem Shrine for her annual flu shot. Getting her vaccines has been a priority, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

Schultz is up to date on her COVID-19 shots and hasn't missed a flu shot in years.

"I have never had COVID," Schultz whispered, as if saying it out loud would be a jinx. "And the only time I ever got the flu was the year my husband and I didn't get a flu shot."

Schultz, an Erie resident, was one of a few dozen people — mostly seniors — who received their flu shots during the first hour of the LECOM Health's annual kickoff flu vaccination clinic.

Flu may be the forgotten respiratory illness as the world continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, but Erie County set a record with 4,679 flu cases in 2022-23.

Though last season's flu strains were not considered especially virulent, 156 county residents were hospitalized with flu complications and five died, according to the Erie County Department of Health.

More: What effects did Erie County's record-breaking flu season have on hospitalizations, deaths?

"When you have three respiratory viruses circulating, as we do with flu, COVID and RSV, you want to shore up the infantry as much as you can," said Jim Caputo, LECOM Health's vaccine coordinator. "One way you do that is to get your vaccines."

However, it appears fewer people are getting their flu vaccines, at least at LECOM Health's kickoff event.

A handful of seniors walked into the Zem Zem Shrine when the clinic opened Friday just before 9 a.m. Years ago before the COVID-19 pandemic, people would fill the facility's lobby and wait outside the doors for the clinic to start.

"We have been seeing a decreased demand for all types of vaccines," Caputo said. "We have also seen it with the COVID vaccine, and with the childhood ones like MMR and polio."

Ed Grande, who received a flu shot at Friday's clinic, is old enough to remember a time before the polio vaccine was widely distributed.

"Our parents would say, 'Don't go walking in the creek or you'll end up in an iron lung,'" said Grande, a 76-year-old Millcreek Township resident. "Getting vaccinated gives me peace of mind, that if I get the flu it will be less severe."

One reason why people aren't flocking to vaccine clinics is that they may be choosing to get their flu shots from other providers. They are available at most primary care offices, pharmacies and clinics.

LECOM Health is sponsoring more than 50 vaccination clinics. For more information, you can call 814-488-3939.

Why some people decline to get flu vaccine

Caputo said he believes the decline in vaccinations is also due to the politicization of vaccines that started decades ago and intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have the internet and it's a wonderful source for information," Caputo said. "But it doesn't always give you the real story, especially about vaccines. ... Yes, people sometimes get a serious reaction to a flu or COVID shot, but the odds on that are about one in 10 million."

Other people may be waiting for the new COVID-19 vaccine, so they can get both shots at the same time. The new COVID-19 vaccine, which is designed to protect against more recent omicron subvariants, is expected to be available between late September and late October.

From 2022: Triple whammy as Erie County reports rise in RSV, flu and COVID-19 cases

The problem is that it takes a person's immune system about two weeks to generate protection from a flu vaccine, and the 2022-23 flu season started in mid-October.

"We are already some flu cases scattered around, so someone (who waits) wouldn't be prepared for a flu season that has already started," Caputo said.

This season's flu vaccine protects against four flu strains. It's not known how effective this vaccine is against the flu, though generally a flu vaccine reduces the risk of needing to see a doctor for flu treatment by 40% to 60%, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Who should get a high-dose flu vaccine?

High-dose flu vaccines are also available. These vaccines are given to people who have weakened or impaired immune systems, Caputo said.

"If you take immunosuppressive drugs for things like rheumatoid arthritis or you are older than 65, you might need a high-dose flu vaccine to get the proper protection," Caputo said.

Schultz, who received the high-dose vaccine, said getting vaccinated is the price you must pay to go out in public if you are at risk of complications from diseases like flu and COVID.

"You want to be careful and healthy, so it's what you need to do," Schultz said. "I'm just so sick of staying at home and not talking to people for the past three years."

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNBruce.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: LECOM Health offers flu vaccine following Erie County's record season