RALEIGH, N.C. — Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and the flu could be traveling with you. A pharmacist with CVS said their role is as critical for this time of year as any other in administering the flu vaccine in their communities. 

The state Department of Health and Human Services confirms three flu-related deaths in North Carolina for this current flu season. 

“I have a lot of patients who take their vaccines very seriously,” April Gorski said. Gorski has been filling prescriptions and answering questions on both sides of the pharmacy counter for CVS since 2005.

Gorski said it’s best to heed advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is to get the flu shot in advance of heavy circulation. 

“They recommend that because that’s the best defense against the flu. They may not always have the right formulation for what’s circulating, but it’s still, combined with proper hand hygiene, that’s still the best defense against the flu,” she said.

How well this year’s flu vaccines work will not be known for a few more months. In the meantime, Gorski said on any given day, she has folks walking into the pharmacy with all kinds of questions ranging from when someone can book an appointment to what insurance will cover.

However, Gorski has one question she asks almost every patient when it comes to their flu vaccination status.

“It’s pretty big. We ask everyone when they come in here and the most common response to why people don’t get the flu shot is, ‘I got the flu shot and I got the flu’,” Gorski said.

Gorski said it’s common to hear patients confusing their mild side effects from the shot and unseen person-to-person exposures potentially infecting your body prior to vaccination as reasons why the shot is either ineffective or to blame. She said it is important to remember a flu vaccination can take at least two weeks before the body begins to better arm itself against the virus.

“It is kind of complicated but that happens a lot,” Gorski said.

What gives her peace of mind is that she feels perfectly positioned within communities to answer fears and doubts from patients.

“Pharmacists have been well-known as the most accessible health care providers,” Gorski said.

The nearly 20 years of corporate retail pharmaceutical experience didn’t erode Gorski's gift for the human touch. Gorski said in a way, she serves as the eyes and the ears of the community.

“It’s very important because when we have one-on-one conversations, I'm taking the time to address your concerns. I'm stopping what I'm doing to see what it is that you need,” Gorski said.

“I am a proud immunizer,” Gorski said. “We’re here on every corner to come ask questions about over-the-counter products, your prescriptions, your children’s prescriptions, your grandmother’s prescriptions and all of the vaccines we can provide to keep everyone in your family healthy.”

Gorski said it’s key to note how flu season came early last year, affecting holiday travel plans and overall day-to-day life. While the same is not expected for this flu season, the pharmacist believes it’s better to have a vaccination and not need it than to need a shot when you are already sick and not have it.