As the end of the year approaches, it will soon be time for indoor gatherings with friends and family. This is a particularly important time of year to get your annual flu vaccination.

The flu is highly contagious and can manifest with a range of symptoms that can vary from mild to severe. The flu vaccine is the best way to help protect yourself, your family and friends against the flu. Vaccination has been shown to reduce the risk of illness, hospitalizations and flu-related death. The flu vaccines are generally administered in September and October to ensure that protection extends throughout the flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that the vaccine be administered to babies 6 months of age and older through older adults.

People at higher risk of flu complications include persons over 65 years of age, young children, pregnant persons and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or HIV).

As a condition of employment and continued employment, an annual influenza vaccination is mandatory for every workforce member who performs work at LA Health Services and all its facilities and programs.

To lower the risk of transmission, the LA County Department of Public Health issued a Health Officer Order mandating that licensed acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities and emergency medical services provider agencies in the county implement a program under which healthcare personnel receive an annual influenza immunization for the current season or wear a respiratory mask for the duration of the influenza season when in contact with patients or working in patient-care areas.

The Health Officer Order can be found here.

Staff are encourage to learn about how to obtain a free flu vaccine and learn more about how to comply with this requirement. Staff are required to obtain an annual flu vaccine by Nov. 1 of each year.

L.A. Health Services patients can schedule an appointment to get a vaccine by calling your doctor’s office or you can self-schedule through the LA Health Portal.

The LA Health Services flu page offers options on how to get a vaccine. The good habits established to protect ourselves during the pandemic still apply. Handwashing, staying home when ill and social distancing can help protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

There are so many reasons to get the vaccine. Take a look at these videos showing why our colleagues got the vaccine.

Christina Ghaly M.D. is the Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.