National Influenza Vaccination Week

Don’t let the flu stop you! December 6-12 is National Influenza Vaccination Week. The National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national awareness week focused on highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination. There are so many fun things to do during the winter, you wouldn’t want to be slowed down by the flu! From ice skating, skiing, making gingerbread houses, decorating the tree, drinking hot chocolate and making snowmen, you would not want to miss out because of the flu! Being vaccinated for influenza can keep you from getting sick with the flu. Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits each year.

The flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 percent to 60 percent. Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization for children, working age adults, and older adults.

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, the first week in December is a great time to do it. Flu vaccine prevents tens of thousands of hospitalizations each year.

Flu vaccination is an important preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions. Flu vaccination has been associated with lower rates of hospitalization and death for those with heart disease, diabetes and chronic lung disease.

Flu vaccination helps protect women during and after pregnancy, as well as their babies. Unfortunately, the flu vaccine is not 100% effective, and there is a chance that you can still get sick. But, there is strong evidence that a flu vaccine reduces severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick. A 2017 study showed that flu vaccination reduced deaths, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, ICU length of stay, and overall duration of hospitalization among hospitalized flu patients.

A 2018 study showed that among adults hospitalized with flu, vaccinated patients were 59 percent less likely to be admitted to the ICU than those who had not been vaccinated. Among adults in the ICU with flu, vaccinated patients on average spent 4 fewer days in the hospital than those who were not vaccinated. As a result, the flu vaccine also reduced deaths among those who were hospitalized.

At Private Home Health Care, we provide the very best in-home caregiving services for your loved ones. We encourage everyone to be mindful that seniors are one of the most at-risk populations for serious illness from the flu. We want to protect the elderly as best we can, which means that everyone who is able should get a flu shot!