Flu Can Be Serious

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness and, at times, can lead to death.

Every flu season is different, and the flu can affect people differently. Every flu season millions of people get the flu, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes.

[Graphic of male sneezing into a tissue]

Flu Vaccine Is The Best Protection

Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year. Flu vaccines…

Can keep you from getting sick with flu

Can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalizations, including among children and older adults

Are very important for people with chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart and lung disease

Help protect both pregnant women and their babies for several months after birth from the flu

May make your illness milder if you do get sick

[Graphic of arm with Band-Aid where a flu shot was given]

Benefits Of Flu Vaccines

Each year, CDC reports the number of flu illnesses, medical visits, and hospitalizations prevented by flu vaccination. During the 2015-2016 flu season:

The estimated number of flu illnesses that were prevented by flu vaccination = 5.1 million.

As many people use the Denver International Airport in one month.

[Graphic of an airplane taking off with a city building skyline in the background with mountains behind the buildings; text: Denver]

The estimated number of flu medical visits that were prevented by flu vaccination = 2.5 million.

Equal to the population of Portland, Oregon.

[Graphic of silhouette people walking and biking with a city building skyline in the background with mountains behind the buildings; text: Portland]

The estimated number of flu hospitalizations that were prevented by flu vaccination = 71,000.

Enough people to fill every registered hospital bed in the state of Texas.

[Graphic of hospital building with 16 hospital beds lined up in front of the hospital building; text: Texas]

Get Vaccinated Every Flu Season

CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October, if possible. However, getting vaccinated later can still be beneficial. Ongoing flu vaccination is recommended as long as flu viruses are circulating, even into January or later.

[Graphic of 3 monthly calendar in the order of October, January, and March]

Find a flu vaccine with HealthMap Vaccine Finder [text is hyperlinked to https://vaccinefinder.org/]

Flu vaccines are offered by many doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, pharmacies and college health centers, as well as by many employers, and even by some schools.

[Graphic of United States map with location pins scattered all over the map; hyperlink in left bottom corner under map to https://vaccinefinder.org/ ]

[Graphic of Band-Aid; text: #FightFlu]

For more information visit: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

Called aslso: Burden Averted Infographic

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