Samira Wiley always gets her annual flu shot but this year, she says it is more critical than ever because of the ongoing COVID1- pandemic.
Infectious disease experts are predicting a potential “twindemic” this fall and winter, which is a combination of flu and coronavirus.
Wiley, 33, told PEOPLE, “These two things are going to be happening at the same time. Getting a flu shot is so important because our health care system can’t handle everything that would be happening if everyone didn’t get the flu shot.”
She said her family always made sure of getting a flu shot ever since she was a child, setting an important example.
The Orange Is The New Black actress said, “It has always been so important for me to get the flu shot to make sure that not only am I safe, but of course, anyone that I come into contact with is safe.”
Infectious disease expert Dr. William Schaffner at Vanderbilt University told PEOPLE, “If people get the flu vaccine, they are much less likely to get sick, or they will have a substantially less severe infection and so are less likely to be hospitalized, go to the ICU or die.”
“We need as many people as possible vaccinated against flu this fall,” he added. “It’s not only important to protect yourself, but to take some of the strain off the healthcare system which is going to be hit by both COVID-19 and flu.”
Wiley has teamed up with Walgreens for the new campaign called “Defend Your Crew Against the Flu.” In the ad, she says, “This isn’t just a bandage. It’s a badge of honor, of care, of respect, because it means you fight for the safety of those you love.”
“You become a flu-fighter,” adds. “Do your part and defend your crew against the flu.”
Wiley said she worked on the ad in her closet, stating, “In this time of COVID, I think normally for a project like this I would be able to go in and meet people and be in a recording booth. But unfortunately, because of the time that we’re living in, things are done a little different these days.” “That’s exactly another reason everyone is looking forward to when we can leave our closets and leave our homes and be able to interact with each other in the real world on the outside like we used to,” she added.
