Influenza Vaccination Week starts December 6
12/1/2020
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) established National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) in 2005 to remind people it’s NOT too late to get a flu shot. This year, NIVW is scheduled for December 6th through the 12th. A second goal of the observance week is to communicate to those who are at the highest risk of complications if they acquire the flu.
“For people at high risk, getting the flu can be far more serious than for other people,” says Dr. Timothy Crater, board-certified in internal medicine. “Flu is more likely to lead to hospitalization or death for people in the high risk groups, and their first line of defense is vaccination.”
According to the CDC, following is a list of health and age factors that are known to increase a person’s risk of getting serious complications from flu:
- Adults over the age of 65
- Children younger than 2 years old
- Pregnant women, and up to 2 weeks postpartum
- Residents of nursing homes and long term care facilities
- People with chronic medical conditions, including but not limited to asthma, diabetes, liver disorders, and heart and lung diseases
- Those with weakened immune systems due to medications or medical conditions
- Obese patients – those with a BMI over 40
- Non-Hispanic black persons, Hispanic or Latino persons, and American Indian or Alaska Native persons.
“Preventing the flu in as many people as possible is our first priority,” says Dr. Crater. “But our medical staff is prepared to react quickly to those high-risk patients who contract the virus. Getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 is more important than ever because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
For more information from the CDC regarding influenza, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/flu.
Talk to your primary care physician about receiving an influenza vaccination. If you do not have a primary care physician, visit TennovaMedicalGroup.com or call 931-455-9387 and we’ll help you find one.
Timothy Crater, Internal Medicine, Board-Certified
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