Mayor Eric Garcetti has launched a pilot program with the USC School of Pharmacy to provide free flu shots for Angelenos at sites across the city in the weeks ahead. The Mayor announced the effort before receiving his seasonal flu shot at the Weingart East L.A. YMCA in Boyle Heights.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic here and the flu season coming, it’s more important than ever before to get a flu shot to keep Angelenos healthy and avoid a scenario that could overwhelm our hospital system,” said Garcetti. “Getting a flu shot should be part of everyone’s annual routine, and working alongside the USC School of Pharmacy, we will make this life-saving vaccination available more widely, quickly, and efficiently to people across our city.”
This initiative will provide flu shots to residents free of charge, with no appointments required. Anyone interested in learning more or finding a new location should visit coronavirus.lacity.org/flushot.
“Pharmacists play an important role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially when it comes to vaccinations,” said USC School of Pharmacy Dean Vassilios Papadopoulos. “It is likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both be spreading these coming months. So this year, it is more important than ever to get a flu vaccine. You can safely get a flu vaccine at multiple locations including your doctor’s office and local pharmacies, or you can walk up to a mobile clinic, with no appointment necessary.”
Anyone infected with COVID-19 or those who have COVID-19 symptoms should not get a flu shot until after they recover, end self-isolation,and consult a medical professional. Each mobile flu shot site will apply all necessary precautions to protect staff and patients. These include strict masking requirements, additional disinfecting between vaccinations, physical distancing, and other measures to maintain health and safety. USC Pharmacy teams will also be screening to ensure individuals can safely receive the flu vaccine.
