The Importance of Raising Pro-Immunization Voices
Public health officials and organizations like Families Fighting Flu communicate each and every flu season about the importance of annual flu vaccination for everyone six months of age and older. We also rely on people who believe in the importance of immunization to share this information with their family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others. Below, we outline four reasons why it’s critical to raise your voice in an effort to help protect yourself, your family, and your community from the dangers of flu.
Speak up about the importance of annual flu vaccination to help protect your loved ones!
The flu is serious!
Annual flu vaccination is the only evidence-based preventive measure that can help prevent the spread of flu in your community. The flu is not “just the flu,” it’s a serious disease! Every flu season in the U.S., hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and tens of thousands of people lose their lives. But each one of us can make a difference in those numbers by reminding and encouraging others to get vaccinated against the flu every season.
We all play a part in achieving community immunity.
One of the greatest benefits of annual flu vaccination is that getting yourself vaccinated not only helps protect you, it also helps protect others around you! It’s like getting two for the price of one! This concept, called community immunity, can help reduce the spread of flu in your community, which means fewer people get sick or suffer serious flu-related complications. Research shows that when pro-immunization advocates explain how flu vaccination benefits the individual and their community, individuals are more likely to get vaccinated.
Flu poses a significant risk to all of us.
The flu is a serious disease that does not discriminate. The groups of people who typically are especially vulnerable to flu-related complications such as hospitalization and death include children under five-years-old, people over age 65, people with certain health conditions, and pregnant women. It’s especially important that these people are vaccinated against flu. Since it’s likely you know someone in one or more of these high-risk categories, speak up about the importance of annual flu vaccination to help protect your loved ones!
Share the truth (it’s called science)!
Pro-immunization advocates are needed now more than ever. We need to share that vaccines are safe and effective and an important part of keeping our communities healthy. With the recent rise of anti-science information on the internet and elsewhere, it’s important to set the record straight. Raise your voice to help protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those you care about!