Influenza – For Physicians
During the 2020-21 influenza season, with the state still working to slow the spread of the novel respiratory virus SARS-CoV-2,
it’s more important than ever for Washingtonians to get their flu shot.
On this page, find resources and information to help you and your practice or organization respond to flu during the pandemic.
Be Safe. Be Smart. Get Your Flu Shot. campaign
The WSMA's Be Safe Be Smart Get Your Flu Shot patient awareness campaign is designed to help the physician community increase flu
vaccination uptake by leveraging the physician voice as the most trusted source of health information for patients. Our
patient page features a vaccine finder to help
patients find vaccines near them and messaging emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated during the pandemic. Our professional page
features up-to-date flu vaccine information from the Department of Health, as well as professional and patient resources for physician
practices.
The following campaign assets are available for your social media, website, or other digital communications.
Keep track of updates on our efforts at wsma.org/flu. And help “boost our signal” by following
us on social media and amplifying our flu messaging. Find the WSMA on Twitter,
Facebook, and
LinkedIn.
CDC flu vaccination recommendations for 2020-21 season
The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
2020-2021 Influenza Vaccination Recommendations and Clinical Guidance during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Watch: A CDC
presentation on the new flu vaccination recommendations and clinical guidance.
Also, don’t miss the
CDC Pink Book Series
- This a series of weekly one-hour web-on-demand videos provides general best practices, immunization strategies, and more.
AMA: New CPT codes for multi-virus tests detect COVID-19 and flu
The American Medical Association published an update to the CPT® code set that includes new code additions and editorial revisions
for reporting medical services sparked by the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit the AMA website
for details.
The Washington State Department of Health offers a partner toolkit for its Think of It as Essential flu vaccination campaign, developed with
input from the WSMA, which includes patient education materials in both English and Spanish, targeting older adults (65 and older), people at
higher risk for flu complications, school/parents, and health care workers. There are new resources and December updates now available in
English and Spanish, including:
- New newsletter template for Community Health Workers
- New video ads (Think of it as Your Best Defense) for linking or download
- Updated newsletter or drop-in article content for all audiences
- Updated social media sample posts
- Additional toolkit resources
Review the DOH partner toolkit.
Flu resources
Adult flu vaccine doses available
Through the aid of a CDC grant, the Washington State Department of Health now offers adult doses for un- and
under-insured individuals. These adult doses will be distributed to physicians and providers participating in the state's adult vaccine program. To enroll,
complete the provider agreement form located in Appendix A of the
Adult Vaccine Program User Manual. Email WAAdultVaccines@doh.wa.gov for details.
Washington State Childhood Vaccine Program updates
Make sure your practice or organization is receiving important updates to the Washington State Department of Health's vaccine
ordering and delivery system. To subscribe or if you have questions, email the Vaccine Management team at
WAChildhoodVaccines@doh.wa.gov or call at 360.236.2VAX.