SLO County Public Health Director discusses flu and COVID vaccines

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The updated COVID-19 vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine are beginning to become available. News Channel 3-12 spoke with San Luis Obispo County Public Health Director, Dr. Penny Borenstein about the protection they offer.

"I highly recommend people take advantage of these protective medications/vaccinations that are available to them," Borenstein said. "It's available for ages six months and up."

Borenstein says the updated COVID vaccine is based on the vaccine that has been available for almost three years, "So it's been incredibly safety tested." Borenstein said. "Probably more so than any other vaccine in the history of mankind."

The updated version of the COVID vaccine is tailored to the existing strain of the virus.

"Get it now and it will protect you against, particularly hospitalizations and even deaths," Borenstein said. "That's been the most important aspect of this vaccine is it has led to the real decrease in those horrible outcomes of this virus."

The COVID and flu vaccine can be taken during the same visit. Some pharmacies have already received early shipments of the vaccines and others will have them in the coming days and weeks.