Less than half of Americans prepared for flu season with a vaccination last year. Here’s why that stat should change this fall.
Five to 20 percent of Pennsylvanians get the flu each year—and up to 2,000 die from flu-related complications. On top of that stat, less than half of Americans prepared for flu season with a vaccination last year.
These numbers can be dramatically changed with a widely accessible and affordable flu shot. Beyond protecting the body against contracting the flu, vaccination has other key benefits:
Flu vaccination could make your illness milder if you get sick
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- Vaccinations reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization. A recent study revealed that people 50 and older who got a flu vaccine reduced their risk of hospitalization from flu 57 percent.
- Flu vaccination is a preventive tool for people diagnosed with chronic health conditions. Vaccination has been associated with lower rates of cardiac events among people with heart disease and reduced hospitalizations among people with diabetes (79 percent) and chronic lung disease (52 percent).
- Vaccination protects the woman and the baby during and after pregnancy. Studies have found that babies of women who got a flu vaccine during their pregnancies were approximately one-third less likely to get sick with flu than babies of unvaccinated women, a benefit observed for up to four months after birth.
Vaccinations protect not only yourself but those around you who might be more susceptible to serious flu illness
You can get your flu shot at your doctor’s office, as well as at retail stores including Target, Walmart, and Costco, or a local pharmacy such as CVS or Rite Aid. To find the closest flu-shot provider, visit vaccinefinder.org and enter your ZIP code. The website will provide a list of all locations to receive a vaccine, along with hours and directions.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Department of Health offers vaccine clinics throughout flu season, providing shots at reduced or no cost for uninsured/underinsured adults, as well as for children who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid eligible, Native American or Alaska Native.
Shots typically cost $5 at these clinics, but according to the Health Department’s website, “no one will be turned away because of an inability to pay.” To find clinics in your area, visit Health PA.
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Check out this post to learn more about the importance of staying on top of your vaccinations.