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Vaccine-Preventable Diseases |
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Influenza (flu) |
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Influenza is a serious disease caused by a virus. Influenza can make you feel miserable! Fever, cough, shaking chills, body aches, and extreme weakness are common symptoms. |
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You can catch influenza from people who cough, sneeze, or even just talk around you. It is very contagious. |
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Tragically, every year infants, children, teens, and adults die from influenza. Influenza is very unpredictable. No one knows how deadly influenza will be each year. Even if you have a mild case of influenza, you can still pass the virus on to your friends, family, and coworkers who could get very sick or even die. |
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Influenza is most dangerous for people with health conditions like heart and lung disease, the very young and very old, and pregnant women. But anyone can become seriously sick from influenza – even young, healthy people. |
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Vaccination is the most effective step you can take to be protected from this serious disease. |
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Influenza Vaccine Schedule |
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Every person, beginning at age 6 months and continuing throughout their lifetime, should receive annual vaccination against influenza. |
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Trusted Websites |
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Influenza |
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Find fact sheets for parents and children, resources, multimedia, and more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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flu.gov |
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Provides information on influenza for the general public, health professionals, policymakers, and more |
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Families Fighting Flu |
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Families and pediatricians who have experienced first-hand what it is like to lose a child to influenza or to have a child experience severe medical complications from influenza. Website features compelling videos and first-hand accounts from member families |
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Health Map Vaccine Finder |
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This locator provides information on where to find flu vaccination, including dates, times, addresses and phone numbers for clinics offering flu vaccinations near the entered addresses or zip codes |
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Video Library |
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Facing Influenza: This educational and compelling video conveys the importance of receiving the influenza (flu) vaccine. These three families all share their story with the hopes of educating other parents about the importance of vaccination for influenza, more commonly known as the flu. They have experienced tremendous trial, loss, and hardship and their lives have been forever changed. This video tells the stories of Emily Lastinger, Chloe Kramer, and Billy Cary. Hopefully, by hearing their stories, these brave families can help other parents and individuals understand the seriousness of the flu and the importance of getting vaccinated. |
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>> view all influenza videos |
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Personal Testimonies |
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Stories of suffering and loss from influenza (flu) |
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More Influenza Information |
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When to seek immediate medical care for you or your family |
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This page was updated
on December 18, 2019. |
This page was reviewed
on October 9, 2020. |
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Immunization Action Coalition • 2550 University Avenue West • Suite 415 North • Saint Paul, Minnesota • 55114 |
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tel 651-647-9009 • fax 651-647-9131 |
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The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), a non-profit organization, works to increase immunization rates and prevent disease by creating and distributing educational materials for health professionals and the public that enhance delivery of safe and effective immunization services. IAC also facilitates communication about the safety, efficacy, and use of vaccines within the broad immunization community of patients, parents, healthcare organizations, and government health agencies. |
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