Amid fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections this fall, pharmacy chains are bracing for a big surge in consumers seeking flu vaccinations beginning in October, Reuters reports.

CVS said it’s working to make sure it has enough vaccine doses available to vaccinate everyone seeking a flu shot in five months’ time. Rite Aid said it ordered 40 percent more vaccine doses this year in anticipation of higher-than-usual demand for the shots. Walmart and Walgreens have also said they’re preparing to administer more flu shots than usual this flu season. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone over 6 months of age get a flu vaccination. Most years, fewer than half of Amerians get vaccinated. This year, however, the number of consumers who said they will definitely or are likely to get a flu shot rose from 34 percent to 65 percent between January and May, according to a survey commissioned by CVS Health.

Preventing flu cases

While getting a flu shot won’t protect against COVID-19, the vaccination will help prevent cases of the flu from rising and overwhelming an already burdened health care system. 

Together, the flu and COVID-19 could have a bigger impact on Americans than the first wave of COVID-19 infections. 

“We’re in for a double-barreled assault this fall and winter with flu and COVID. Flu is the one you can do something about,” Vanderbilt University Medical Center infectious disease expert Dr. William Schaffner told Reuters.

Drive-through clinics could be used

Since many Americans may still be wary of visiting medical facilities due to coronavirus concerns this fall, some health officials have suggested coming up with alternative ways of administering the shots in order to make sure everyone gets vaccinated. 

Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, said pharmacies, public health clinics, and other flu shot providers may need to set up drive-up clinics for flu vaccines.

“My goal is that every single vaccine dose that gets made gets into somebody’s arm to protect them. I don’t want any vaccines left on the shelves or in doctors’ offices,” Messonnier said in an interview.

There’s good news for SNAP recipients to start out the week. The number of approved states allowing participants to purchase food online has increased to 36, accounting for 90 percent of the program’s users. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the remaining states will phase in over the next few weeks.

The newest states added to the program include: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.

USDA says options are expanding

With the number of Americans filing for unemployment climbing sharply due to the coronavirus pandemic, states are seeing a torrent of new SNAP applications. That, in turn, has prompted consumers concerned about the safety of a physical store to take their shopping online.

According to a study by Escalent, a human behavior and analytics firm, the number of consumers taking their grocery shopping online grew more than 400 percent in March and April of 2020 compared to 2019. 

It’s not exactly surprising that WalMart and Amazon are the two biggest online options for SNAP participants. However, the USDA has sprinkled in a few local favorites like Wright’s Markets in Alabama and ShopRite in New York. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue promised to keep expanding the number of independents to give consumers more options during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We are expanding new flexibilities and innovative programs to make sure Americans across this country have safe and nutritious food during this national emergency,” said Perdue. 

“Enabling people to purchase foods online will go a long way in helping Americans follow CDC social distancing guidelines and help slow the spread of the coronavirus. USDA is mandated with the noble goal of feeding Americans when they need it most, and we are fulfilling that mission with new innovative programs during this national emergency.”

Hurdles still exist for users

In ConsumerAffairs’ research on the subject, we found that getting USDA approval doesn’t mean retailers can just snap their fingers and immediately turn on access for their shoppers. 

“The main hurdle to implementation is the fact that SNAP users must input a PIN number corresponding to their account when they check out,” said Jeff Wells at GroceryDive. 

“States and retailers must enable a payment program that incorporates and can securely process shoppers’ PIN numbers. Additionally, retailers must update their online ordering systems to factor out sales tax for SNAP purchases, handle manufacturer coupons and enable refunds for recipients, and implement a separate payment tender option for delivery fees, which SNAP dollars do not cover.”

Other hurdles that Wells found include:

• Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) issues: Just because a state is “approved,” that doesn’t mean it automatically allows a SNAP beneficiary to shop online. Wells says that each state has to update their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) systems to be able to process, track, and store online SNAP data. 

• Becoming compliant is not an overnight thing: “Online payments under the USDA’s pilot program provide a contactless way for shoppers to buy groceries,” Wells said. “But becoming fully compliant is also complex and time-consuming, so retailers have rolled out pickup programs that allow SNAP consumers to shop online and then pay once they retrieve their order.”

• There may be added fees: Some consumers might find added fees an insult to injury, but GroceryDive reports that state legislators are trying to find a way for retailers to waive delivery fees for SNAP consumers during the pandemic.

Skip the online route and go to the store

Wells, for one, thinks the best short-term route for SNAP users is going to their local grocer and waiting until the USDA and the states shake out all the problems inherent with shifting to an online model. 

“For now, the majority of consumers receiving food assistance must continue shopping for groceries in stores, where retailers have implemented numerous safeguards, from one-way aisles to plexiglass barriers at checkout,” he said.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 1,667,154 (1,583,561)

Total U.S. deaths: 98,371 (95,052)

Total global cases: 5,534,728 (5,154,152)

Total global deaths: 347,587 (335,063)

Health officials worry about Memorial Day crowds

Thousands of Americans ignored health officials admonishments about crowding into tight spaces and did just that over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Many people headed to beaches and lakes and observed little to no social distancing.

Dr. Deborah Birx, a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, told a television interviewer that she was “very concerned” about scenes of people crowding together over the weekend.

“We really want to be clear all the time that social distancing is absolutely critical. And if you can’t social distance and you’re outside, you must wear a mask,” Birx said on ABC’s “This Week.”

Scientists have recently concluded that the coronavirus is much more likely to spread in large gatherings than small ones.

Another vaccine is being tested

There’s a new entry in the race to develop the first coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. 

Novavax says it has begun a Phase 1 clinical trial of a novel coronavirus vaccine candidate and has signed up the test’s first participants. A Phase 1 trial determines whether a drug is safe for human consumption.

Novavax says its vaccine candidate - given the name  NVX-CoV2373 -- has the objective of increasing the body’s immune responses. To do that, the vaccine will be combined with Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant.

“Administering our vaccine in the first participants of this clinical trial is a significant achievement, bringing us one step closer toward addressing the fundamental need for a vaccine in the fight against the global COVID‑19 pandemic,” said Stanley C. Erck, Novavax’s CEO. 

The company expects preliminary Phase 1 results from the trial in July. It joins Moderna’s experimental vaccine, which is completing a Phase 2 trial.

Evidence points to fewer students in college this fall

The nation’s colleges and universities have taken a financial hit amid the coronavirus pandemic. Not only have these institutions had to shift overnight to online classes, but they’ve had to refund money to students who paid for room and board, parking, and assorted activities.

While colleges had held the line on refunding tuition, there’s new evidence that they may see fewer tuition-paying students in the fall. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program, the gateway for federal education money, reports a significant drop in requests for funds.

Since both parents and students have told pollsters that the economic fallout from the coronavirus has reduced their ability to pay for schools, it could suggest fewer students plan to attend school in the fall.

Health concerns decrease, financial concerns increase

A new survey of consumers by Deloitte shows consumers have learned to live with the coronavirus, with a declining number expressing worry about getting it. At the same time, an increasing number say they’re worried about the economic harm the virus-related shutdown is causing.

As of the middle of May, only 48 percent of consumers said they worried about their health, down from 57 percent in early April. Sixty percent said they are concerned about the health of others, down from a high of 72 percent.

At the same time, 27 percent of consumers said they’re worried about their ability to make upcoming payments and 43 percent are putting off major purchases, with those numbers significantly higher among millennials.

Appeal for blood plasma

A coalition of medical and health organizations is ramping up its appeal for blood plasma donations from people who have recovered from the coronavirus. The plasma is needed to support the rapid development of potential new therapies for patients with COVID-19. 

Advocates say timely donations are critical. They need to recruit COVID-19 survivors within two months of their recovery to ensure that their blood plasma contains a robust enough concentration of antibodies to have a positive effect and to address the substantial seasonal increase in COVID-19 cases anticipated this fall in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Inside COVID-19 survivors is the antibody-rich blood plasma that may help stem the tide of this pandemic,” said Diana Berrent, founder of one of the participating groups. 

Around the nation

• Pennsylvania: The conflict between small business owners and government officials is becoming increasingly partisan. The owners of a York diner criticized Democrats for “going too far” after state officials suspended their business license for reopening in defiance of the governor’s orders. 

• Missouri: State health officials have expressed alarm after seeing pictures of Memorial Day partiers jammed into a pool at Lake of the Ozarks. Officials say everyone who attended the party should self-quarantine for 14 days.

• California: The state has set out rules for places of worship to reopen their doors to congregations. The rules limit worshipers to 100 or fewer, taking everyone's temperature, limiting singing and group recitations, and not sharing prayer books or other items.