Bob Swanson Discusses MDHHS IVaccinate.org to Understand the Flu

Parents encouraged to use IVaccinate.org to answer flu questions

Lansing, Michigan – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently issued a reminder to residents to get vaccinated against the flu, when flu activity is sporadic to protect before influenza activity becomes widespread within communities:

Listen:

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“Every year, I make the choice to vaccinate my family so that I can give them the best protection possible as we head into flu season,” said Veronica McNally, mother and founder of the Franny Strong Foundation and the I Vaccinate campaign. “I vaccinate to protect my children, my friends’ children who cannot be vaccinated because they are too young, and our loved ones who cannot receive the vaccine because their immune system is working hard to fight cancer or other illnesses.

“I’m grateful to everyone in our community who also chooses to vaccinate – and applaud those parents who have questions and are seeking out credible answers. I strongly encourage anyone with questions to visit IVaccinate.org to get answers to their questions about the flu vaccine that are grounded in scientific and medical research.”

I Vaccinate has answers for some of the most common questions about the flu vaccine, including:

• What is influenza (the flu)?
• Is the “stomach flu” different than influenza?
• How dangerous is the flu?
• Who should get a flu vaccine?
• How do I protect my child from the flu?
• When will flu activity begin and when will it peak?
• Will the flu vaccine give me or my child the flu?
• Is it better to get the flu vaccine or the flu?
• What about people who get a seasonal flu vaccine and still get sick with flu symptoms?
• What’s in the flu vaccine?
• What are the benefits of flu vaccination?
• If vaccines undergo years of studies, how is it that a new annual or pandemic flu shot comes out every year?

Additional topics discussed included the impact of not vaccinating on communities.

Here’s what we know about flu…

Flu is BAD, especially for kids and seniors.
At least 80% of influenza-related deaths occur among 2 age groups: children from 6 months to 8 years and adults 65 and older.

Flu Prevention Works.
Vaccinations, effective hygiene, and anti-flu medication reduces flu-related deaths.

What we need YOU to do:
Help us reduce flu deaths in your area by publishing the “The Flu Prevention Resource Sheet,” which strongly encourages helpful actions from the most-impactful groups working with flu-vulnerable populations.

Next Steps:
1) Let us know the format you prefer for content published to your website (PDF? Word Doc? HTML File? Blog Post? Text File? Something else?).
2) Publish the document we send to you… and join the CDC’s fight against the flu!

There’s even a chance you could be mentioned on the CDC website! Check out the “Flu Fighters” program here:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/partners/flu-fighters.htm

80% of flu deaths could have been prevented with vaccination – thank you for joining this fight!

The I Vaccinate campaign is a joint public-private effort of MDHHS and the Franny Strong Foundation and is supported by the CDC and every major medical and health organization in the state, including the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, Michigan Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Michigan State Medical Society. Reporters can reference IVaccinate.org as a credible source in any story about vaccinations.