Dr. Louis Tumminia is interviewed on WPTV NewsChannel 5 on the importance of getting a flu shot

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Melody Rodriguez, a mother of three kids, said she's getting her family immunized with the influenza vaccine as soon as possible.

"We usually get them, I think like, in October, November time," she said. "But we are going to be getting our flu shots early, all of us."

Like many medical professionals, she's concerned about the timing of COVID-19.

"I think that it's super important to protect our kids if we can," Rodriguez said. "You never know what happens if you got both at the same time."

Dr. Louis Tumminia, the chief of staff at Delray Medical Center, said he's "really, really pushing for the vaccine."

"I'm telling all my patients to get vaccinated as soon as possible," he said. "A double infection would be catastrophic."

Tumminia recommends, just like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to start immunizing as soon as possible.

"It becomes a diagnostic dilemma," he said. "I mean, at least you know if someone has been immunized against the flu, if they get sick during this season, then you may want to focus more on COVID."

George Borowski has three kids. He said his children will get the flu vaccine this year, but he will skip it.

"I generally didn't feel well for a couple of days after getting the flu shot," Borowski said. "For me, being a healthy, younger adult, I don't necessarily need the flu shot in my life."

Tumminia is warning the flu vaccine naysayers.

"I deal with these people every day to get it. I'm just telling them to get it. Those who are anti-vaccine, unfortunately, it's a losing battle. They're not going to want to get it, but I'm going to tell them and just lay it on the line," he said. "If you get COVID and you get flu, that could be detrimental. I mean, that could be the worst case scenario."