L.A. Care’s Chief Medical Officer and Other Physicians Ready to Share Facts about the Vaccine
LOS ANGELES – With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to take lives all around the world, public health officials fear the possibility of a severe flu season leading to what many are calling a ‘twindemic,” two health crises that could strain the public health system and further ravage communities. This year, it is even more critical that people get a seasonal flu shot.
L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated health plan in the country, has launched its 2020 Fight the Flu campaign, and this year it is an expanded effort to ensure people receive that very important message.
“We don’t have a COVID-19 vaccine yet, but we do have a flu vaccine that could prevent a life-threatening illness,” said Richard Seidman, MD, MPH, L.A. Care Chief Medical Officer. “Still, the CDC said there were as many as 62,000 flu deaths last year. We can’t risk a double crisis.”
The L.A. Care 2020 Fight the Flu campaign will include nine free countywide flu clinics open to the public in October and November. We are also encouraging members to get flu shots from their primary care physician’s office or local pharmacies which, like the clinics, are at no cost to the member. Members will also receive reminders to get a flu shot via newsletter articles, post cards, and on-hold call messages. Our high-risk dual eligible members will receive outreach from our partner pharmacies and mailings reminding them of a $25 incentive gift card. There will also be a robust social media campaign directed at everyone in Los Angeles County.
This year, L.A. Care has also produced a myth buster video that will be shared widely with the help of its plan partners Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, and Kaiser Permanente. Molina Health Plan, Health Net, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will also share the video, and it will live on the L.A. Care Fight the Flu web page.
“Too many people believe you can get the flu from the flu vaccine or that the vaccine doesn’t work,” said Seidman. “This video offers facts that will hopefully put those myths to rest.”
L.A. Care providers will receive a newsletter asking them to remind their patients about the importance of getting a flu shot, with details about the clinics. The Fight the Flu campaign will continue into the spring of 2021.
Dr. Seidman and other L.A. Care physicians are available now to speak about the importance of the flu vaccine during the pandemic.