Health & Medicine
Ebola Is In The News But Don't Forget That Flu Season Is Fast-Approaching
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Nov 10, 2014 12:36 PM EST
Forget Ebola! As fall drags into the beginnings of winter, health care providers continue to push for certain essential precautions against the flu.
When the flu, also known as Influenza, infects an individual, it can easily spread from the nose, throat and the lungs. Unlike Ebola, however, the flu is an airborne infection that healthcare workers often remind is on the list of America's top 10 killers, according to researchers. In fact, up to 54,000 people died from influenza in 2010, according to the Utah People's Post.
The Kanowitz family, who lost their 4-year-old daughter to the flu in 2004, discuss the issue of raising further awareness on the problem, particularly when it comes to the flu vaccine. As it stands, the flu vaccine is now recommended for children 6 months and up.
"The flu is a serious respiratory illness that can kill you, and the only way to prevent it is to get vaccinated each and every year," said Richard Kanowitz, the president and founding member ofFamilies Fighting Flu, a national nonprofit advocacy organization, via lohud.com.
With flu season fast approaching, health officials stress the importance of getting the vaccine.
Furthermore, statistics show that only about half of Americans received the flu vaccination in 2013, and many worry that because of the recent obsession with Ebola, other major health concerns may be drowned out.
"According to the Centers for Disease Control, it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop to a level where a person is protected," added Dr. Marc Bonin, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at The Good Samaritan Hospital. "We encourage everyone to get vaccinated now before we hit the strongest part of the influenza season."
The elderly, children and those with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to the dangers of the flu. Regardless of risk, however, it's important to get vaccinated each year.
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First Posted: Nov 10, 2014 12:36 PM EST
Forget Ebola! As fall drags into the beginnings of winter, health care providers continue to push for certain essential precautions against the flu.
When the flu, also known as Influenza, infects an individual, it can easily spread from the nose, throat and the lungs. Unlike Ebola, however, the flu is an airborne infection that healthcare workers often remind is on the list of America's top 10 killers, according to researchers. In fact, up to 54,000 people died from influenza in 2010, according to the Utah People's Post.
The Kanowitz family, who lost their 4-year-old daughter to the flu in 2004, discuss the issue of raising further awareness on the problem, particularly when it comes to the flu vaccine. As it stands, the flu vaccine is now recommended for children 6 months and up.
"The flu is a serious respiratory illness that can kill you, and the only way to prevent it is to get vaccinated each and every year," said Richard Kanowitz, the president and founding member ofFamilies Fighting Flu, a national nonprofit advocacy organization, via lohud.com.
With flu season fast approaching, health officials stress the importance of getting the vaccine.
Furthermore, statistics show that only about half of Americans received the flu vaccination in 2013, and many worry that because of the recent obsession with Ebola, other major health concerns may be drowned out.
"According to the Centers for Disease Control, it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop to a level where a person is protected," added Dr. Marc Bonin, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at The Good Samaritan Hospital. "We encourage everyone to get vaccinated now before we hit the strongest part of the influenza season."
The elderly, children and those with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to the dangers of the flu. Regardless of risk, however, it's important to get vaccinated each year.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone