HJNO Sep/Oct 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS  I  SEP / OCT 2020 37 Amanda Jackson, MD Vice President of Ambulatory Services and Primary Care Medical Director Children’s Hospital WITH a return to in-person learning for children, the gradual reopening of our economy, and a pandemic that is still per- vasive in our communities, how do we best prepare for a fall flu season, while at the same time continuing to fight COVID-19? Our most important defense will be en- couraging children, families, and the broad community to visit their primary care pro- viders, pharmacies, or other sources of vaccination to get the annual flu vaccine. Both the CDC and the American Acade- my of Pediatrics urge anyone six months of age and older to get flu the shot, as it is one of the most effective ways to protect against the influenza virus. While people may worry about visiting the doctor during a pandemic, it is im- portant to know that clinics and hospitals have implemented safety precautions that prevent the spread of infection, including masking, social distancing, frequent dis- infecting of high touch surfaces, and visi- tor restrictions, to name a few. Healthcare providers must continue to reinforce these measures to the community in all available forums, including social media, to ensure public confidence so they will seek care, especially the flu vaccine. The biggest concern we face as health- care providers is the likelihood that COVID-19 and the influenza viruses will overlap. Since both viruses have simi- lar symptoms—fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, and muscle pains or body aches—it will be a challeng- ing season to navigate. Flu vaccination will help decrease the incidence of influenza during this overlapping winter season. The National Library of Medicine com- pares independent studies of several ep- idemiologists who believe the viruses could interfere with one other, thus lessen- ing the impact of both respiratory viruses. In the same studies, experts believe wear- ing a mask and taking precautions such as washing your hands and not touching your face will help lessen the number of people who contract the flu this season. The CDC has shared information regarding the pos- sibility that people could become infected with both viruses at the same time, but ex- perts are still studying how common that might be. One looming question for patients and families might be whether or not getting a flu vaccine could lend some protection against COVID-19. The answer is no, but it is extremely important to discuss the benefits of the flu vaccination with our pa- tients and families. The CDC says it is more important than ever to get a flu vaccine this fall, as it will help reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and even death. It will also help conserve potentially scarce healthcare resources due to COVID-19. Addressing the importance of the 2020 fall flu season, the CDC has already begun to make vaccinations more available by purchasing an additional 2 million doses of pediatric flu vaccine, and 9.3 million doses of adult flu vaccine. These vital vaccines will be administered in a clean and safe en- vironment in hospitals and clinics across the Greater New Orleans area, the Great- er New Orleans Immunizations Network, and in partnership with schools and oth- er organizations to best reach our at risk communities. The important infection pre- vention measures put in place in schools to protect against COVID-19 will also help protect against seasonal flu. Our top priority is to care for the kids of Louisiana and their families, and part of that is protecting them against the flu and other infectious diseases. The healthcare community stands ready to take on the challenges ahead. No matter what the fall holds for us, we remain dedicated to pro- viding expert care for kids as we continue to closely follow the guidelines of the CDC and our government leaders. Together, we will continue to get through this. n Amanda Jackson, MD serves as Children’s Hos- pital’s vice president of ambulatory services, and primary care medical director. A New Orleans na- tive, Dr. Jackson earned a medical degree from LSU Health New Orleans, and completed pediatric residency training at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, where she was named chief resident. After practicing pediatrics for 14 years, Dr. Jackson moved into a clinical operations role, serving as as- sociate chief medical informatics officer at Ochsner Health System. At Children’s Hospital, she oversees clinical operations at pediatrics and specialty care locations across the Greater New Orleans Area, as well as Virtual Care for Kids. “Both the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics urge anyone six months of age and older to get flu the shot, as it is one of the most effective ways to protect against the influenza virus.”