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Why you should get the flu vaccine this year

Young boy with masked doctor and "I Vaccinate" logo

We’re so grateful to Lora and Amal, of LAM Style, for partnering with us to share their story. View their full blog post here.

As two health care professionals and a mother of 2; we wanted to talk to you more about the influenza vaccine. It’s not too late to get vaccinated for yourself, your children and loved ones as Influenza and cold season is still upon us.

It’s important now more than ever to get your influenza vaccine amid the COVID 19 pandemic. In this post, we’ll list some reasons why its important and benefits of the vaccine.

Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with flu.

Flu vaccine helps reduce flu-related doctor’s visits each year and hospitalizations.  In recent years, flu vaccines have reduced the risk of flu-associated hospitalizations among adults on average by about 40 percent.A 2018 study showed that from 2012 to 2015, flu vaccination among adults reduced the risk of being admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with flu by 82 percent.

It’s important not to forget about the kids! A 2014 study showed that flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of flu-related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission by 74 percent during flu seasons from 2010-2012. A 2017 study was the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination can significantly reduce a child’s risk of dying from the flu.

Flu vaccination helps prevent the flu in people with chronic health conditions.

Worried about your uncle who has diabetes and hypertension? Or your mom who has COPD or congestive heart failure. Vaccination has been associated with lower rates of some cardiac events among people with heart disease, especially among those who had had a cardiac event in the past year.

Flu vaccination also has been shown in separate studies to be associated with reduced hospitalizations among people with diabetes and chronic lung disease.

Vaccination helps protect women during and after pregnancy.

I received the flu vaccine during both my pregnancies and thankfully never suffered from the flu while being pregnant. Vaccination reduces the risk of flu-associated acute respiratory infection in pregnant women by up to one-half. 2018 study showed that getting a flu shot reduced a pregnant woman’s risk of being hospitalized with flu by an average of 40 percent. Getting vaccinated can also protect a baby after birth from flu. (Mom passes antibodies onto the developing baby during her pregnancy. A number of studies have shown that in addition to helping to protect pregnant women, a flu vaccine given during pregnancy helps protect the baby from flu infection for several months after birth, when he or she is not old enough to be vaccinated.

If you do get sick with the flu, flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce its severity.

A 2017 study showed that flu vaccination reduced deaths, 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.

Don’t forget that when you vaccinate yourself, you’re also protecting others around you…including those who are more at risk for serious complications from the flu, like babies and young children, older people and people with certain chronic health conditions.

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You’ve got questions. That’s a good thing.

As parents, determining how best to protect our children can be overwhelming and confusing. We’re here to help.

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About I Vaccinate

I Vaccinate provides information and tools based on real medical science and research to help Michigan parents protect their kids. Support is provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Franny Strong Foundation.

You’ve got questions. That’s a good thing.

As parents, determining how best to protect our children can be overwhelming and confusing. We’re here to help.

©2021 Franny Strong Foundation | All rights reserved

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