Flu (Influenza)
Flu Bugs Take on Major League Soccer
It’s not easy being a Flu Bug! We remember the days when people feared us each and every year and we could easily spread from person to person and country to country in a matter of weeks. Now, life is much harder for us flu bugs…all thanks to vaccines!
Chatting about Flu (on Twitter)
In partnership with NFID (@NFIDvaccines) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) influenza division (@CDCFlu), Richard Besser, MD chief health and medical editor at ABC News (@abcDrBchat), hosted a live tweet chat on influenza (flu) prevention on September 29, 2015 (using hashtag #abcDrBchat.) Scheduled to coincide with the start of flu season in the US, the chat provided an opportunity for individuals to ask questions around flu, flu vaccines, and other prevention strategies. Participating medical experts encouraged everyone six months and older to get vaccinated annually to help #FightFlu.
CDC Answers Top Questions About Flu
Special thanks to Daniel B. Jernigan, MD, MPH, Director of the Influenza Division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for sharing his perspective on the importance of annual flu vaccination for all people 6 months and older.
Leading By Example in Preventing Influenza
On September 17, 2015, NFID hosted the 19th Annual Influenza/Pneumococcal News Conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), joined with leading medical/public health experts at the news conference and encouraged all individuals age 6 months and older to get vaccinated against influenza (flu) annually.
Kicking Off Flu Awareness
This week, NFID kicked off its 2015-2016 flu season awareness activities with an exciting expanded partnership with the Major League Soccer men’s team, D.C. United. Team players, coaches, medical staff, and Talon (the team mascot) were invited to ‘Lead By Example’ and get their flu vaccine during a team clinic event.
Older Adults Need Vaccines, Too!
Similar to eating healthy foods, exercising, and getting regular check-ups, vaccines are vital in order to stay healthy, particularly for older adults. As you age, your immune system typically does not function as well as it used to, making older adults more susceptible to vaccine-preventable infectious diseases and serious complications.
Pregnancy: Protecting Baby Starts Now
From the moment you found out you were pregnant, you began protecting your baby. You may have changed the way you eat, started taking a prenatal vitamin, and started to research which car seat you’ll buy. But, did you know that one of the best ways to protect your children against pertussis (whooping cough) and influenza (flu) is to make sure you get the Tdap and flu vaccines while you are pregnant?
Pharmacist Challenges in Providing Immunizations
While 44 states currently allow pharmacists to administer vaccines recommended by the Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and all 50 states allow influenza vaccines to be given, many states place barriers between patients and pharmacists as immunizers, primarily by age and/or prescription restrictions.
Do You Know Which Vaccines are Recommended Before, During, and After Pregnancy?
Vaccines are recommended for women before, during and after pregnancy. Some vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, should be given a month or more before pregnancy. Other vaccines, like Tdap (to protect against whooping cough) and influenza, are given during pregnancy.