Flu season is approaching, and Community Health Alliance (CHA Nevada) will offer seasonal flu vaccines and the new COVID booster to protect residents and keep communities healthy.

The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against influenza is to get a flu vaccine every flu season, said Dr. Travis Walker, chief medical officer at CHA Nevada.

“I recommend that everyone six months and older get a seasonal flu shot,” he said. “The flu vaccine helps prevent illness and the more people that are vaccinated, the more we can prevent the spread of the virus and the more likely we are to prevent people being hospitalized or deaths related to influenza.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against influenza. Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October.

Flu signs and symptoms usually come on suddenly. People who are sick with flu often experience fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and muscle or body aches.

Community Health Alliance will also receive the new COVID booster in the next few weeks, Walker said.

This vaccine is especially recommended to adults who are older or who have multiple medical conditions.

”This year the specific type of vaccine or strain that we’re fighting is the J.N 1 strain of COVID. And so the booster or vaccine this year is specifically formulated for the type of virus that’s circulating right now,” he said.

People can make an appointment online at CHANevada.org or by calling (775) 329-6300.

This story was shared with permission from KUNR and originally reported by Maria Palma in English and published on September 6, 2024.