Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year.

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at high risk of serious complications from influenza. Flu vaccination has important benefits. It can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

Who Needs a Flu Vaccine and When, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm

Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm

• Immunize AR, UAMS Department of Internal Medicine, UAMS Physician Assistant Program, Unity Health in Searcy, AR. The Blue & You Foundation has provided key funding for the establishment and operation of Immunize AR.
• Immunize AR’s Flu Prevention Workgroup members.
• Immunize AR’s Adult Immunization Workgroup members.

An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu. Vaccination has been shown to have many benefits including reducing the risk of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and even the risk of flu-related death in children. Flu vaccine should be administered before flu begins spreading in your community. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October.  Getting vaccinated later, however, can still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the flu season, even into January or later.

Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm

Strategy 1: Implement evidence-based health systems strategies to improve adult immunization rates.

Strategy 2: Improve knowledge and confidence of the public in the benefits and safety of adult immunizations.

Strategy 3: Provide education on adult immunizations to students in health professional schools.

Strategy 4: Provide continuing education on adult immunizations to health professionals.

Strategy 5: Improve provider adherence to ACIP recommendations for adult immunizations.

Strategy 6: Increase the number of providers that report doses of adult immunizations to WebIZ.

Immunize AR’s website: https://www.immunizear.org/