Sanford Bemidji offers flu vaccinations this fall

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Sanford Health in Bemidji offers both flu and COVID-19 vaccinations this fall. The Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster will be available starting Thursday, Sept. 15, at Bemidji family medicine, internal medicine and children’s clinics. The new booster will also be available at other Sanford clinic locations over the coming days.

Patients may receive both vaccinations at the same time during their next Sanford visit or by scheduling an appointment. Anyone can make an appointment by going to My Sanford Chart, calling (877) 701-0779 or contacting their primary care provider.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Patients six months of age and older will have the option to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination. The second dose of the vaccine should be received 21 days after the first dosage. Children six months through four years of age will receive a third dose eight weeks after the second dose.

The new bivalent booster that will be available contains a new formula to provide protection against the omicron variant, which is the current virus strain circulating across the U.S. Even if a person received their primary vaccine series or booster, this vaccine booster provides better protection against the current variant. Everyone ages twelve and older are now recommended to receive a single bivalent COVID-19 booster at least two months after their last dose.

Learn more about the safety and effectiveness of the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at http://www.sanfordhealth.org/procedures/flu-shot.

Who should receive a flu shot?

Your best defense against influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated. Across the country, hundreds of millions of people have gotten the flu vaccine safely for decades. It’s an effective way to keep you, your family and your community from getting sick.

Certain groups are at higher risk and are strongly recommended to receive the vaccination:

• All children ages six months and older, unless advised otherwise by your physician

• Pregnant women and anyone who becomes pregnant during the flu season

• People 50 years and older

• Adults and children with certain chronic conditions

To prevent transmission to high-risk populations, vaccination is also recommended for:

• Health care workers

• Caregivers of children less than six months of age and adults over age 50

• Adults and children who live with children less than six months of age

• Adults and children who live with or care for persons with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for sever complications from influenza

Additional information:

• If you have a doctor’s appointment scheduled, you can ask to get a flu vaccine during your appointment.

• Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Occasionally people may become infected by touching something with active flu viruses and then touching their mouth or nose. Hand washing is key to reducing your risk.

• For more information about influenza or flu vaccination, visit the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm

About Sanford Health

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves more than one million patients and 220,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 47 medical centers, 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers, 170 clinical investigators and research scientists, more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations and world clinics in 8 countries around the globe. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.