It’s National Flu Vaccine Week

National Influenza Vaccination Week

Amidst this COVID pandemic, it’s easy to forget that this is flu season and important to remember to get your flu vaccine. This is National Influenza Vaccination Week. This week highlights the importance of getting your annual flu vaccine. Flu activity usually increases in October, but peaks between December and February. Flu activity sometimes occurs as late as May. If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, NOW is a great time to get it from your local pharmacy or healthcare provider.

During the last flu season, there were 49 million flu illnesses. This is more than the combined populations of Texas and Florida. Of those who got the flu, 960,000 people were hospitalized as a result. Another 79,000 people died from the flu or flu-related complications.

The CDC recommends that anyone over the age of 6 months get the flu vaccination. Getting vaccinated is especially important for those who are at a high risk of experiencing flu-related complications. These groups of people include:

• Adults over the age of 65
• Pregnant women
• Young children
• Children with neurologic conditions
• Those with asthma, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and cancer
• Those with heart disease

If these people get the flu, they are at a high risk of getting other illnesses. These include pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus infections. The flu makes chronic health problems, such as asthma and heart disease, even worse.

The flu vaccination comes in either a shot or a nasal spray. The flu vaccination also comes in different forms. For example, there is one that is made just for adults over the age of 65. Anyone who gets the flu vaccination is at a lower risk of getting influenza. They are also less likely to miss school or work. Since flu viruses are constantly changing, it’s important to get a flu vaccination every year.

HOW TO OBSERVE National Influenza Vaccination Week

If you haven’t already done so, the best way to observe this week is to get your flu vaccination. If you are a parent, make sure your children have had their vaccinations. If you take care of your elderly parents or other loved ones, take them to their doctor or pharmacy to get their flu shot.