In 2020, with COVID-19, flu shots are crucial for several reasons. For instance, the symptoms of the flu and COVID are so similar that the healthcare system may become overloaded with people who don’t know if they have coronavirus or the flu.

That’s why Pierce County has launched the “Spread Love, Not the Flu” campaign, and findyourflushot.com, which can help find the closest provider of flu vaccinations.

The goal is to have 70 percent of Pierce County residents six months and older get a flu shot. Last year, an estimated 51 percent were immunized, according to Ken Farmer, director of the county’s Office of Disaster Recovery.

He said Pierce County will provide free flu shots at pop-up clinics in the near future. In the meantime, free drive-thru locations for shots are available, as well as providers that accept health insurance.

“Getting a flu shot in 2020 is more important than ever because COVID-19 is already putting many people in danger. Adding flu season to the equation increases the risk for everyone,” Farmer said. “Not only is there increased risk to us as individuals, but not having flu shots also puts our healthcare system at risk of getting overwhelmed.”