Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is launching “Spread Facts, Not Flu & COVID,” a new public awareness campaign encouraging suburban Cook County residents to protect themselves and their families from respiratory illness by getting vaccinated and getting trusted information. The campaign comes as flu season approaches and misinformation about vaccines continues to make it harder for people to know which health information they can trust.

Spread Facts, Not Flu & COVID

The Spread Facts, Not Flu & COVID campaign encourages residents to get vaccinated and believe the facts, not the myths, about vaccination. The campaign addresses common vaccine myths about flu and COVID vaccines with clear, science-based information, including: 

MYTH: The flu shot can give you the flu. 

FACT: The flu shot cannot give you the flu. Flu shots use inactivated virus, weakened virus or components of the virus that cannot cause influenza illness. 

MYTH: I got a flu shot last year, so I don’t need another one. 

FACT: Flu viruses change over time, and flu vaccines are updated to protect against the viruses expected to circulate during the upcoming season.

To help Cook County residents prepare for respiratory virus season, CCDPH, Cook County Health and CountyCare will offer Saturday vaccination clinics at five Cook County Health ambulatory health center locations throughout suburban Cook County beginning October 17th. Flu and COVID vaccines will be available to residents’ ages 6 months and older, regardless of immigration status or insurance coverage. No appointment is needed. For more information, visit cookcountypublichealth.org