Why should people get vaccinated against the flu?
Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands to tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu. Vaccination has been shown to have many benefits including reducing the risk of flu illnesses, hospitalizations, and even the risk of flu-related death in children.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Flu vaccinations are a safe and effective way to prevent millions of illnesses and hospitalizations. Flu vaccinations are especially important this season as our COVID-19 pandemic is still active. Additional Information can be found here.
- Flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death (it is currently ranked among the top ten causes of death in the U.S.).
- Most people who get influenza will recover in several days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications as a result of the flu.
- The flu vaccine is updated every year to combat the flu viruses that research indicates are most likely to cause illness during the upcoming season.
- It is especially important that people in some groups get vaccinated, because: they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications, or they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications.
- There are also some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician.
