Influenza season arrives as Delta variant surge continues

[KSTP-TV News, September 02, 2021] As summer draws to an end, an Allina Health infectious disease specialist says it's time to schedule your flu shot.

"I think that's important," Dr. Frank Rhame, with Allina Health, said. "This year it's more important than ever to get [a flu shot] early because influenza [is] unpredictable."

With very few cases compared to a usual flu season, Rhame said we didn't have much of a flu season last year, which is causing uncertainty about what this year will bring.

"It did something really weird last year and what's going to happen this year is very unpredictable," Rhame added about the unusual flu season in 2020.

He's also worried about the increase in vaccine hesitancy surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine and its impact on people getting vaccinated against the flu. In a time when health systems are getting pushed harder than ever before, protecting yourself against both illnesses is crucial.