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October 11, 2022 - Lancaster, PA

Health Department Encourages Pennsylvanians to Get Flu Vaccine, COVID-19 Booster this Fall

Department of Health Acting Secretary and Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson joined public health officials from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health to encourage residents to get their flu shot and COVID-19 vaccination boosters as we enter the 2022-2023 flu season.

"This flu season has the potential to be severe, so we are encouraging Pennsylvanians to get their flu shot and COVID-19 booster together to keep our communities safe," said Dr. Johnson. "Influenza is serious and can be deadly, which is why it is important that Pennsylvanians receive their flu vaccine. The flu shot is the best way to protect yourself against influenza, but I also encourage people to take other preventive measures to protect themselves from the spread of influenza. This is also an opportunity to continue the work of mitigating COVID-19 by receiving the new COVID-19 vaccine."

This year, both the flu shot and nasal spray are available and recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older to protect against the flu. The flu vaccine can often diminish the severity of symptoms a person might experience should they come down with the flu. The updated COVID-19 bivalent boosters are also available to provide protection against the original virus strain as well as the Omicron variant (and its subvariants BA.4 and BA.5).

Speakers include:
Dr. Denise A. Johnson, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General
Michael R. Ripchinski, Lancaster General Health Chief Physician Executive



Ava Warfel, BSN, RN, Nurse Supervisor at Lancaster General Health, administers the flu shot to patient Sue Lines in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_01.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Dr. Denise A. Johnson, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General, stresses the importance of getting both the flu shot and COVID-19 booster to reduce the risk of illness, hospitalization, and death, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_02.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Dr. Denise A. Johnson, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General, stresses the importance of getting both the flu shot and COVID-19 booster to reduce the risk of illness, hospitalization, and death, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_03.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Dr. Denise A. Johnson, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General, stresses the importance of getting both the flu shot and COVID-19 booster to reduce the risk of illness, hospitalization, and death, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_04.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Dr. Denise A. Johnson, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General, stresses the importance of getting both the flu shot and COVID-19 booster to reduce the risk of illness, hospitalization, and death, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_05.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Michael R. Ripchinski, Lancaster General Health Chief Physician Executive, encourages Pennsylvanians to get the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccination booster to protect themselves during the 2022-2023 flu season, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_06.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Michael R. Ripchinski, Lancaster General Health Chief Physician Executive, encourages Pennsylvanians to get the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccination boosters to protect themselves during the 2022-2023 flu season, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_07.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Ava Warfel, BSN, RN, Nurse Supervisor at Lancaster General Health, prepares a flu shot for a patient. According to the Department of Health, the flu vaccine can diminish the severity of symptoms a person might experience if they contract the virus, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_08.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Ava Warfel, BSN, RN, Nurse Supervisor at Lancaster General Health, administers the flu shot to patient Sue Lines in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_09.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Ava Warfel, BSN, RN, Nurse Supervisor at Lancaster General Health, administers the flu shot to patient Sue Lines in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_10.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Dr. Denise A. Johnson, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General, stresses the importance of getting both the flu shot and COVID-19 booster to reduce the risk of illness, hospitalization, and death, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_11.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Dr. Denise A. Johnson, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General, and Michael R. Ripchinski, Lancaster General Health Chief Physician Executive, encourage Pennsylvanians to get the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccination booster, in Lancaster, PA on October 11, 2022.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/22271_doh_fluKickoff_cz_12.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a>