Valley health care officials are getting out the word — particularly to seniors — that it’s time to get a flu vaccination.
With flu season right around the corner, health officials are pushing vaccines as a way to prevent illness. The last flu season prior to the pandemic, it is estimated vaccinations prevented 7.5 million influenza illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During that time, the CDC recorded 3.7 million influenza-associated medical visits, 105,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations and 6,300 associated deaths. Flu vaccine are estimated to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with the flu between 40% and 60%, according to the CDC’s website.
