Flu Vaccine 2020: Protect Yourself and People You Care About
For most of 2020, COVID-19 has been a predominant topic in our daily lives. So much so, that things we regularly plan for throughout the year may no longer be top-of-mind. Now all of a sudden, it’s fall, and flu season is upon us. Have you thought about your flu vaccine yet?
Taking steps to prevent the flu is even more critical this year as we will be fighting the flu alongside COVID-19 – which can present similar symptoms and make diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Additionally, co-infection of both diseases is believed to increase the risk of serious complications. We can all take measures to protect ourselves and those around us from the flu.
We are doing our part to ensure a safer environment for all in everything we do, and we know that each one of us plays a role in helping to keep each other safer. We are requiring team members, volunteers, students and contractors that come onsite to be vaccinated. In our health system, as well as many others across the country, vaccination has been shown to be effective in reducing the rate of influenza among staff and the patients we care for.
We encourage you to take control of your health and help protect others by getting the flu vaccination. There are many important benefits in getting the flu vaccination, such as:
- Preventing you and millions of other people from getting sick with the flu.
- Reducing the risk of flu-associated hospitalization for children, working age adults and older adults.
- Preventing more serious health complications for people with chronic conditions.
- Protecting women and babies during and after pregnancy.
- Reducing the severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick.
- Saving healthcare resources for the care of patients with COVID-19.
Despite the protective benefits of the flu vaccination, only about half of Americans get an annual flu vaccine and the flu continues to cause millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths each year. You can protect yourself and those around you by getting the flu vaccination.
Call us at 763-581-CARE to schedule your flu shot or schedule in MyChart.