Flue Shots in Kentucky
If you haven’t gotten a Flu shot yet, there’s still time.
According to the Foundation For A Healthy Kentucky only half of Kentuckians got a flu shot this past year. “Annual flu shots work,” said Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. “They keep us from getting the most common strains of flu each season and reduce the risk of complications and even death if we do end up getting sick. Just as important, when the majority of us get our flu shots, we provide a stronger measure of protection for infants and those with compromised immune systems who cannot get the vaccine.”
The Foundation states that if you have not yet gotten a flu shot you are not only putting yourself at risk for serious flu complications, you’re putting others at risk. Most people decide not to get the vaccine because they are under the impression that they will inturn get the flu. That is a misconception the Foundation wants to clear up. “Flu vaccines do not cause the flu – which is one of those misconceptions – and it’s important for both healthy people and those who may be vulnerable to serious flu complications to get vaccinated annually” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The KHIP report found that women are more likely to report getting a flu shot than men along with adults ages 65 or older.
KHIP is working closely with Kentucky Medical Association and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care for a statewide campaign called “Focus on Flu”. This campaign will focus on preventing another epidemic-level flu season. Dr. Brent Wright, president-elect of the Kentucky Medical Association and treasurer of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, said, “If you have not received your flu shot this season, please get it now. Make no mistake, the flu is not a cold; it is serious and not something to mess around with. The flu can lead to a lengthy illness, hospitalization, and in some cases death. Please give yourself, your family, and your community a gift by getting a flu shot this season.”
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This article also appears on page 15 of the January 2019 print edition of Hamburg Journal.
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