National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is an annual observance in December to remind everyone 6 months and older that there’s still time to get vaccinated against flu to be protected during the upcoming season.
Vaccination is particularly important for people who are most vulnerable to developing serious flu complications, including people with certain chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease. In fact, last flu season 9 out of 10 adults hospitalized for flu had at least one reported underlying medical condition.
This year that message is more important than ever, especially given the possibility that both flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will spread this winter.
This could place a tremendous burden on the health care system and result in many more illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths than during a regular flu season — especially among people managing chronic conditions because many of them also are at higher risk from COVID-19.
The good news is that there is a flu vaccine that is tried and true; proven to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalizations and death.
For more information on getting your flu vaccine, call Lawrence County Memorial Hospital at (618) 943-1000 or click here!
