MEDIA CONTACTS:
Kathy Fackelmann/Tim Pierce: 202-994-6460, [email protected]
WASHINGTON (October 22, 2020)—The George Washington University (GW), in partnership with several community organizations, is providing free flu shots to people living in Ward 7 and Ward 8 and other medically underserved parts of Washington, D.C. The flu clinics will be set up in churches, mobile vans, food banks and other sites to make it easy for District residents to prepare for this year’s flu season.
GW collaborated with community organizations such as Bread for the City, the Family and Medical and Counseling Service, the United Medical Center Mobile Health Vans and others to launch the initiative aimed at protecting vulnerable residents from influenza—especially this fall and winter as they battle the coronavirus.
“Getting a flu vaccine is so important this year as there are many overlapping symptoms between influenza and COVID-19 infection, such as fever, cough, and body aches,” Raymond Lucas, MD, medical director of the GW Occupational Health Program at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), said. “If we can prevent people from coming down with these respiratory illnesses, there will be fewer people seeking care in the health care system.”
Click here to find out more about the Washington area flu clinics, including times and locations.
During last year’s flu season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 400,000 people in the United States were admitted to the hospital with influenza. Public health experts warn hospitals and other health care providers could be overwhelmed if flu and COVID cases start surging in the months ahead.
The free clinics will be set up in parts of the District with a shortage of health care providers in order to provide influenza protection to residents, including those who may have chronic health conditions and are at a higher risk for serious complications from the flu and COVID-19.
Volunteers, including GW nursing students who have been trained to give flu shots, will staff the clinics. A licensed medical provider will supervise all of the volunteers, Lucas said. In addition to the GW Occupational Health Program, SMHS, the GW Medical Faculty Associates, the GW School of Nursing and the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health also helped launch the community flu clinics.
Extending GW’s Commitment to Health and Wellbeing into the District
On August 16, 2020, GW launched an in-house COVID-19 testing protocol for all students, faculty and staff authorized to be on campus for the fall semester. The novel GW COVID-19 testing system and other measures help keep the limited number of faculty, students and staff on campus safe. At the same time, the weekly, free COVID testing on campus also helps protect the greater Washington region from spreading virus.
This month, GW added a free flu shot onto that regimen for the estimated 4,000 students, faculty and staff who are on campus. Most classes are being held online this semester at GW.
“The George Washington University is deeply committed to the health of our D.C. community,” said GW President Thomas LeBlanc. “Our faculty, students and staff are working every day to reduce inequities and improve access to health care, especially during this critical time.”
NOTE TO MEDIA: For the privacy of the patients, please do not go to any of the clinic sites unannounced. Please contact GW Media Relations to arrange a visit and conduct interviews.
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