10 Reasons To Be Vaccinated
It’s your responsibility to protect your family.
The best way to protect your family from influenza (flu) is to get everyone in your household vaccinated. Even the healthiest child who’s never had seasonal influenza is at risk and needs to be vaccinated. It’s that simple.
Influenza is more serious than you may think.
Influenza is spread easily from person to person; when someone who has it sneezes, coughs or even talks, the virus passes into the air and can be breathed in by anyone nearby. People can also become infected by touching something–such as a surface or object–with influenza virus on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
What are the symptoms of influenza?
Influenza claims the lives of about 100 children in the US every year and hospitalizes approximately 20,000 children annually. About half of children who die from influenza were previously healthy.
Influenza can worsen chronic medical conditions–don’t put your family’s health at risk.
Influenza vaccination is especially important for people with compromised immune systems or certain underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. Influenza can worsen these conditions or cause serious complications in those who have them.
Vaccinating the family helps protect vulnerable infants.
Children younger than 6 months of age are too young to be vaccinated against influenza, but they are at the greatest risk of hospitalization. To create a protective “cocoon” of immunity around unvaccinated infants, parents, siblings, and all other close contacts of the baby should be vaccinated.
Keep your kids at school and yourself at work.
Children have plenty to worry about without having to catch up on missed school work, a big game, the prom, or graduation. And when kids miss school, parents often lose work days to care for them.
Your child doesn’t live in a bubble.
Children share close quarters inside schools and childcare facilities. And let’s face it – their hygiene habits are often less than stellar! Your child is constantly touching, playing, and sharing with others. It’s no wonder more children get influenza every year than people of any other age group. So when you can’t be there to protect your child, the vaccine is.
Why keep taking the annual seasonal influenza gamble?
This could be the year your luck runs out. To prevent influenza, place your bet on vaccinating your child.
Getting your family vaccinated is easy.
In addition to your primary healthcare professional, many local hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, retail stores, and even some employers hold vaccination clinics. Use the Flu Vaccine Finder to find a flu vaccine location near you.
The influenza vaccine is safe and effective.
Vaccines are safe and are subject to extensive testing in the US. Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza. The influenza vaccine can reduce chances of getting the flu by 70 to 90 percent and, if someone gets vaccinated but still gets the flu, chances are they will get a less severe case.
Everyone deserves the chance to stay healthy.
Given that influenza vaccination is such a safe and easy way to help prevent the flu, why not take advantage of it?