Covid-19 is not alone in the Borderland air this winter

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso health officials say there are four different types of flu strains lurking in the air: two strains have caught their interest.

Flu season has always been a worry for the health department. Adding Covid to the mix makes the flu a bigger worry.

The city has taken an active approach in the last few years regarding vaccinations, even carrying out a major flu vaccination campaign according to Ruth Castillo, manager for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program.

"We were collaborating with several community organizations, school districts, elderly facilities," Castillo said, "just to make sure we were targeting those individuals, that either they don't have access to services to get the flu shot, or they're considered vulnerable due to their condition, due to their age."

Castillo added that this year the number of flu cases has been lower, which could be due to Covid-19 safety protocols.

"Keep in mind that the flu virus mutates constantly. So the seasonal flu vaccine is actually developed, tailored to address those viruses that are considered to be more active during the flu season. That's why it's really important for everybody to vaccinate every year."

This year, the city of El Paso has administered close to 20,000 flu vaccines among all its vaccination sites.