Say ‘Boo!’ to the Flu Pledges to Vaccinate More Families than Ever This Flu Season

(ARA) – Getting the flu can have serious consequences, especially for children. Every year, children in the United States get extremely ill and some die from influenza (“the flu”) and its complications. Richard Kanowitz knows this all too well — he and his wife Alissa lost their 4-year-old daughter, Amanda, to the flu four years ago.

“My wife and I didn’t realize how important one vaccination could be until we lost our daughter to the flu,” said Kanowitz, president of Families Fighting Flu (FFF), a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging parents to vaccinate their kids against the flu every year.

Flu education is especially important this year with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanding their flu vaccination recommendations. The CDC now recommends flu vaccinations for all children from 6 months through 18 years old, but parents may not have heard the news.

Pledging to help get more families vaccinated this flu season, FFF, the Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) and The Clorox Company have joined forces for the national Say “Boo!” to the Flu program. In its third year, the program aims to educate families on the importance of flu prevention with flu vaccination events in cities across the country.

“Say ‘Boo!’ to the Flu provides information on the new CDC guidelines and educates parents on the importance of getting kids vaccinated,” said Kanowitz. “If we can prevent a single death and spare a single family from going through what we went through, we will consider our efforts a success.”

Nearly 400 children have died from the flu over the past five flu seasons. Since the flu is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths for children, Say “Boo!” to the Flu intends to spread the word about the simple steps you can take to help protect your family this season.

“It is crucial that parents are informed about the importance of a flu vaccination,” said Mary Ann Blade of the VNAA. “The reality is, influenza is a serious illness, and parents should take action to help protect their family, and especially their children.”

“Kids” of All Ages Get Vaccinated
Besides getting children from 6 months through 18 years old vaccinated, the CDC also recommends the vaccine for anyone in frequent contact with this group — meaning moms, dads and child care providers. The CDC estimates that vaccination coverage still remains less than 50 percent among high-risk groups, including young children.

Say “Boo!” to the Flu at Home
Vaccination is the first step in flu prevention, but families should also take these simple steps at home:

• Wash Hands Frequently: Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice).
• Disinfect Germ Hot Spots: Disinfect the surfaces kids touch most frequently — like doorknobs, light switches, faucets or plastic toys.
• Do the Elbow Cough: Cough and sneeze into your elbows instead of your hands to help prevent the spread of germs from touch.
• Follow Good Health Guidelines: Eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep to help boost your body’s ability to fight the effects of colds and the flu.

About the Flu
It is estimated that each year in the U.S. more than 20,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized due to the flu, and children less than 2 years old are even more likely to be hospitalized by the flu. Among children who died from the flu in the 2003-2004 flu season, 44 percent were healthy and had no underlying conditions.

Influenza, or “the flu,” is an easy-to-spread viral infection. The symptoms include high fever, chills, cough, aches and fatigue. A simple cough or sneeze can quickly spread the flu virus from person to person.

The flu virus can live on household surfaces, too. The flu may spread when a person touches a surface, like a toy, with the flu virus on it and then touches his or her mouth or nose. Help prevent the spread of the flu virus by getting vaccinated and disinfecting frequently-touched surfaces in your home.

For more information, visit www.SayBooToTheFlu.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content