COVID and Flu? What You Need to Know about Vaccines and Surging COVID Cases

Dr. Carol Epling, Executive Director of Duke Employee Occupational Health and Wellness, shares advice for staying well

virus and a syringe

More than four years after it first appeared, COVID continues to be a threat to our health.

In North Carolina last month, weekly hospital admissions for COVID-like symptoms reached their highest total since February and the amount of COVID virus particles found in wastewater testing were the highest they’ve been since early January.

National data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that both COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths have been rising steadily over the summer. All told, COVID has claimed the lives of nearly 1.2 million Americans since Jan. 1, 2020.

At Duke, clusters of COVID cases in workforce have increased with more than 300 employees reporting positive test results during the first week of August.

“This is the same summer surge we’ve been seeing in recent years, but it’s a bit higher than last summer,” said Dr. Carol Epling, Executive Director of Employee Occupational Health & Wellness (EOHW).

With the start of the academic year bringing more people to campus, and as we move into months that see the highest circulation of respiratory illnesses, Working@Duke spoke with Epling about vaccinations, safety precautions and how to protect ourselves and people around us.

Dr. Carol Epling
Duke Employee Occupational Health & Wellness Executive Director Dr. Carol Epling

Why is there a rise in COVID cases? Will it ever go away?

COVID-19 cases have risen in the summer every year since 2020 due to factors such as new circulating variants, increased travel and more time spent indoors in air-conditioned spaces.

Epling said this year’s surge in infections is no different, though the current COVID variants in circulation are especially transmissible. She said that, as the virus evolves, the strains that are easiest to catch and spread  become more prevalent, making COVID something that won’t go away any time soon.

“COVID continues to change its genetic makeup and with this change, we are seeing more and more contagion,” Epling said. “So, we’ll continue to have COVID in the environment. This is what we expect to see long term, to have COVID as one of the circulating respiratory viruses in our community, just like the flu, just like RSV.”

What should we know about the updated 2024-25 COVID vaccine?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new COVID vaccines on August 22, 2024. The mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer will protect against a recently circulating KP.2 strain of the disease. Epling said it could take several weeks, perhaps until mid-September, for the new vaccines to become widely available for the general public.

Once it is available, Epling said getting it is a smart move for everyone over the age of six months.

“The new vaccine is our best line of defense for reducing our risk for a severe COVID infection leading to hospitalization or potentially death,” Epling said. “It can reduce the risk that we’ll get the illness when we’re exposed to it. The new vaccines are designed to match more closely the strain that’s currently circulating so that our immune system will be better prepared to respond.”

The updated COVID vaccine will not be available through Duke EOHW. Instead, the vaccine, which is covered in full by all Duke employee medical insurance plans, will be available at area pharmacies and health care providers, including Duke Primary Care and specialty clinics.

While not a requirement, Duke staff and faculty who get the COVID vaccine are encouraged to submit their vaccination documentation through the Duke’s outside vaccination reporting tool in support of institutional readiness.

Can we get the COVID vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time?

Epling said that getting the new COVID vaccine and the seasonal flu vaccine at the same time is safe and shouldn’t lead to any issues.

“You can get them at the same time or you can get them at different times, it doesn’t really matter,” Epling said. “What matters is that you get them both.”

Epling said it can take as long as two weeks for the vaccines to begin providing protection from viruses, so getting them as soon as you can is a way to ensure being ready for the respiratory virus season, which usually begins in October and peaks between December and February.

What should we do if we feel symptomatic for flu, RSV, or COVID but test negative?

For anyone experiencing the symptoms of flu, RSV or COVID  – which may include runny nose, scratchy throat, cough, headache, fatigue and fever – Epling recommends wearing a mask, isolating and seeking out a COVID test. At-home COVID tests can be purchased at most pharmacies and Duke employees can schedule a PCR test through Duke using the My COVID Link. Testing for flu, RSV and other respiratory viruses will become widely available later int he fall or winter when respiratory virus season has begun.

If you test positive for COVID, Epling recommends following isolation guidance according to your job type. Those infected should also wear a mask around other people for 10 days, with the first day being the day after symptoms began. Employees are encouraged to report any positive at-home test results through the My COVID Link.

Epling said she’s seen instances when people with COVID symptoms and negative results on at-home tests have later tested positive with the more sensitive PCR lab tests available through Duke laboratories.

“Even if you test negative for COVID, you should wear a mask throughout the illness,” Epling said. “We can have falsely negative COVID tests, so wearing a mask around other people is the best way to lower everybody’s risk.

How do I get a flu vaccination?

Epling said that EOHW has tried to make it easy for employees to receive their free flu vaccinations by offering no-appointment walk-in vaccinations at all three EOHW clinics and setting up pop-up vaccination clinics at high-traffic sites across the University and Health System. Find a full list of locations and pop-up clinic dates here.

“We’ve tried to offer pop-up clinics in places where it will be easy for employees to come and get vaccinated,” Epling said.

During the 2023-24 flu season, an estimated 44,900 Americans died from flu complications.

Getting a flu vaccine is a condition of employment for employees of Duke University Health System, the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing. Faculty and staff must be vaccinated or submit an approved exemption before 10 a.m. Tuesday, October 29. To meet the requirement, employees who receive the flu vaccine from a source other than EOHW or a worksite peer vaccinator must provide documentation.

“If someone gets a vaccination from a pharmacy or health care provider, even if it’s one at Duke Health clinic, they still need to submit their documentation so they can show they’re compliant with the policy,” Epling said. “It can be a source of confusion, but Employee Health does not receive documentation for flu vaccines administered at Duke Health clinics when employees come in as a patient for a flu vaccine.”

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