The World is a Sick Place; Stay Healthy and Get a Flu Vaccine
You’re in a meeting at work, and your three co-workers in your teeny-tiny meeting room are all sniffling, sneezing and hacking.
You’re at Raleys, and the grocery cart you choose has some slimy substance on the handle…and you’ve just stuck your hand in it.
You’re walking into church, and you walk directly into the path of someone who just sneezed.
We don’t need to tell you the world is a sick place, do we? Because you see evidence of that on a daily basis.
But one of our jobs at Immunize Nevada is talking with Nevadans about research-based, scientific information about the flu — in a way that makes sense and has some personality.
And one of the best ways to do that: through this blog.
So…welcome, if you’re a first-time reader! We hope you’ll stick around, contribute, comment, share and enjoy. But most of all, we hopeyou’ll spread the word…we need our friends to help us tell the important stories about vaccinations.
So let’s start with some basic flu stats, shall we?
According to the Centers for Disease Control:
- Annually, 20 percent of Americans get the flu.
- Each year, an average of 226,000 Americans are hospitalized due to influenza A.
- Between 3,000 and 49,000 Americans die of influenza and its complications; the majority are adults.
- The flu leads to economic losses of more than $10 billion in direct medical expenses and more than $16 billion in lost earnings in the U.S. alone.
Those numbers are pretty scary, right? But what if we told you that you (yes, I’m talking to YOU), making a commitment to get a flu vaccination annually, could dramatically change those numbers?
As it stands, about 45 percent of the U.S. population gets a flu vaccination.
But Nevada remains in the bottom tier of vaccination stats, with less than 40 percent of the population receiving vaccines for the last flu season reported.
The bottom line: There’s room for improvement. We’re excited to be able to tell some of the important stories about flu vaccinations, with the goal being to encourage everyone over the age of 6 months to get a flu vaccine this year.
We’re going to launch a campaign. We’re going to debunk myths. We’re going to tell you how to find a flu vaccine, what to expect from it and why it’s important.
We hope you’ll stick around. Let’s offer the voice of reason to our friends and relatives. Let’s make Nevada healthier.
The world is a sick place, after all…
Now, it’s your turn:
- What do you want to learn through this blog?
- What excuses do you hear from friends/relatives about why they do NOT get a flu vaccine?
Disclaimer: this communication channel does not constitute doctor’s advice; please consult with your physician about your specific questions.
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