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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and fast approaching flu season, there is a growing public health concern about a potential ‘twindemic’ – the spread of flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Health authorities say it is more important than ever to get an annual flu vaccine. To keep communities safe and healthy, L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan’s network of Community Resource Centers are offering drive-thru flu shot clinics across Los Angeles County – at no cost to plan members and the community.

The flu shot clinics will be held October 9 through November 14 at various locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointments are necessary. Flu shots will be given on a first-come, first-served basis and are available while supplies last. Additionally, individuals aged 3 and older who get a flu shot will receive a $10 Ralphs/Food 4 Less gift card, also while supplies last.

«With so much focus on preventing COVID-19 infection for the last six months, we want to make sure people don’t forget about getting a flu shot,» said Richard Seidman, MD, MPH, L.A. Care Chief Medical Officer. «Contracting the coronavirus and the flu at the same time is especially dangerous since both affect the lungs, so we ramped up our efforts to fight the flu by making the flu vaccine widely available in a safe and convenient way.»

Health experts warn that the overlap of two respiratory illnesses could overburden the health care system, strain testing capacity, and increase the risk of catching both diseases at once. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges people to get immunized against the seasonal flu by the end of October, especially those at higher risk of complications including pregnant women, older adults and young children. Individuals should check with their doctor if they have any concerns or questions about receiving a flu vaccine.

«With flu season approaching during COVID-19, there has never been a more important time for everyone to get a flu vaccination,» said Susan Fleischman, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. «We are committed to helping community members to stay healthy, protecting them and their family and friends from the likelihood of serious illness.» 

To help increase awareness of the importance of the flu vaccine and the drive-thru flu shot clinics, L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise have enlisted the support of partners committed to keeping our communities healthy, including: Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, SoCalGas, Los Angeles Football Club, Exposition Park, Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, East Los Angeles College, Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center, Cardenas Markets, The Wellness Center at the Historic General Hospital, and Antelope Valley Partners for Health.

«SoCalGas is committed to supporting the communities we serve and our community partners like L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, during this challenging time,» said Brian Prusnek, Director of Customer Programs and Assistance at SoCalGas. «Taking health precautions like getting your flu shot is as important as ever. We also want to encourage our customers to take care of their financial wellbeing during this time by checking out our customer assistance programs. Information will be provided to those who attend the flu shot clinics on our customer assistance programs which can help customers save money and conserve energy.»

Dates and locations of the drive-thru flu shot clinics are listed below:

Friday, October 9
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Pomona Catholic High School
533 W Holt Ave, Pomona, CA 91768
*Flu vaccines for 9 years and older

Saturday, October 10
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Wellness Center at Historic General Hospital
1200 N State St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
*Flu vaccines for 3 years and older

Friday, October 16
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Antelope Valley Partners in Health
44226 10th St W, Lancaster, CA 93534
*Flu vaccines for 3 years and older

Saturday, October 17
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Exposition Park
700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037
*Flu vaccines for 3 years and older

Thursday, October 22
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Community Resource Center in Lynwood
3200 E Imperial Hwy, Lynwood, CA 90262
*Flu vaccines for 6 months and older

Friday, October 23
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Recreation Park
208 Park Ave, San Fernando, CA 91340
*Flu vaccines for 3 years and older

Saturday, October 24
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
East LA College
1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, CA 91754
*Flu vaccines for 9 years and older

Saturday, November 7
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center
9900 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044
*Flu vaccines for 3 years and older

Saturday, November 14
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Community Resource Center in Lynwood
3200 E Imperial Hwy, Lynwood, CA 90262
*Flu vaccines for 9 years and older

About L.A. Care Health Plan
L.A. Care Health Plan serves more than 2.2 million members in Los Angeles County, making it the largest publicly operated health plan in the country. L.A. Care offers four health coverage plans including Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Covered™, L.A. Care Cal MediConnect and the PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Plan, all dedicated to being accountable and responsive to members. As a public entity, L.A. Care’s mission is to provide access to quality health care for L.A. County’s vulnerable and low-income communities, and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose. L.A. Care prioritizes quality, access and inclusion, elevating health care for all of L.A. County. For more information, visit lacare.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of California, offering Medi-Cal, Cal MediConnect, Medicare Advantage HMO, and Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans. It is led by healthcare professionals with a «members-first» philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers and partnering with community organizations for more than 400,000 members. For more information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit www.news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Media Contacts:
Mashi Nyssen
(626) 436-4345
mashi.nyssen@blueshieldca.com 

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SOURCE Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan