This story appeared in The Oakland Press. Read more here.
Oakland County is offering the chance to get vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19 in one visit.
Flu season begins this month and there is concern that it will hit harder than last season because less people are taking precautions like masking and social distancing.
Public health nurses who administer COVID-19 vaccines at Oakland County Health Division’s indoor clinics will also administer the flu shot at the same time to eligible residents who request it.
Those who get the flu and COVID-19 at the same time double their risk of dying from complications of either respiratory illness.
Upcoming indoor community clinics will include the Karl Richter Community Center in Holly, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 876 in Madison Heights, Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, and the Southfield Pavilion in Southfield.
Appointments are strongly encouraged. Click on OaklandCountyVaccine.com for addresses, times, and to schedule an appointment. Those who do not have access to the Internet may call the Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. for more information.
Individuals who schedule their COVID-19 vaccine appointment at an indoor clinic will be asked to indicate whether they would like to receive the flu vaccine. Walk-ins may also request it.
About 287,000 eligible Oakland County residents remain unvaccinated, at least 46,000 of whom are ages 12-19 years old.
New cases of COVID-19 continue to grow, especially among unvaccinated residents. Of the more than 4,700 new confirmed and probable cases in Oakland County from Sept. 20-Oct. 3, 26.7 percent of the new cases were from residents 18 years old or younger, up from 26 percent the previous week.
More than 800,000 Oakland County residents 12 years old and older have received at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The Oakland County vaccine data through Monday, Oct. 5, was released by the state of Michigan COVID-19 dashboard:
Total eligible residents 12 and older: 1,091,389
Number of residents 12 and older who have received first dose: 804,377
Number of residents 12 years and older who have completed vaccination: 747,416
Vaccine coverage for residents 12 and older: 73.7 percent
Total eligible residents 16 and older: 1,029,737
Number of residents 16 and older who have received first dose: 769,639
Number of residents 16 and older who have completed vaccination: 716,031
Vaccine coverage for residents 16 and older: 74.7 percent
Total eligible senior residents 65 and older: 217,676
Number of senior residents who have received first dose: 191,695
Number of senior residents who have completed vaccination: 181,690
Vaccine coverage for senior residents: 88.1 percent
Total doses distributed within Oakland County: 1,630,785
Total doses administered within Oakland County: 1,493,708
Percentage of doses administered within Oakland County: 91.6%
Total third and booster doses administered in Region 2 North (Oakland, Macomb, and St. Clair counties): 57,840