School is in session and fall is here. That means flu season is on the way. The American Heart Association-El Paso has teamed up with coffee shops across the city to spread the word.
Organizers share that the insulated sleeve on your morning latte or cappuccino carries a reminder to roll up your sleeve and get a flu shot.
Participating shops in the Heart Association’s Be PowerFlu campaign include Coffee House of Hel, District Coffee Co., the City Coffee Bar, Café y Canela, and Coffee Emporium.
The Heart Association reminds us that getting a flu vaccine is your best protection against the influenza virus. This year, getting the flu vaccine is more important than ever.
Here’s why: Having the flu can weaken your ability to fight off COVID-19 or one of its variants.
“No one wants the flu and COVID,” says Monica Leal, Public Health Program Manager for the American Heart Association’s El Paso chapter. “El Paso County Health Department has made it as easy as picking up a cup of coffee. The vaccine is free, safe — administered with COVID-19 safety protocols – and you don’t need an appointment.”
“In El Paso County we’re proud of our vaccination rates for COVID-19. But the COVID vaccine won’t protect people from the dangers of the influenza virus,” says Pamela Lucero of District Coffee Co., “we’re excited to work with the American Heart Association to get the word out!”
The flu is particularly dangerous for people in high-risk groups, including people 65 and older, those with heart disease, asthma, diabetes, or weakened immune systems. In fact, having the flu makes a person more likely to experience a heart attack or a stroke, according to Heart Association research.
Visit bepowerflu.com for more information about the vaccine, flu symptoms, and risks of going unvaccinated. You can download a patient questionnaire to complete and take with you when you get your shot.
