Hospital Preparing For Flu Season During Pandemic

Sydney Martin worked to learn more about what Huntsville Hospital is doing to prepare for the upcoming flu season.

Vaccine first.

Today- huntsville hospital c-e-o david spillers discussed flu season - and how it will look different this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

His message to everyone: get a flu shot.

Waay 31's sydney martin learning more about what the hospital is doing to prepare for flu season.

Syd, "huntsville hospital ceo david spillers told me here at city hall - the hospital is looking into doing drive thru flu shot clinics- he told me with flu symptoms and coronavirus symptoms being very similar- if you get sick, you'll be tested for both covid and the flu this winter."

David spillers explained he thinks there will be a back-up at hospitals during flu season as healthcare proffesionals work to determine if someone has the flu, covid or both.

He said it's too early to know- but an effective flu vaccine will make the upcoming flu season during the pandemic easier on everyone- as long as people are getting vaccinated.

David spillers, huntsville hospital ceo "it's going to be very hard if people don't get the flu shot and they do get the flu when they show up at any healthcare facility.

We're going to assume you have covid until we know you don't have covid, so it will use up a lot of test, take up a lot of your time, you'll have to be quarantined etc.

Etc."

Spillers said they're still working on plans for flu vaccines- but will do anything they can to get the community vaccinated.

He explained all hospital employees are required to get a flu shot- and there are only a few exceptions to the rule.

The goal for everyone spillers said is to be able to keep hospitalizatoins under control during flu season and the pandemic and not to use all of the hospital's resources.

In huntsville sm waay 31 news.

The alabama department of public health begins publishing its weekly flu updates at the beginning of october.

At this point - none of the state's 8 regions are reporting any lab-confirmed flu cases within