Immunize El Paso alerts community about arrival of flu season
Studies show that otherwise healthy but unvaccinated daycare and school-age children are prime targets for influenza, or what is more commonly called “the flu.” School populations are eight times denser than offices and 10 times denser than homes, making them prime breeding grounds for the spread of influenza.
Once infected, children shed more of the influenza viruses than do infected adults, and they do so for longer periods of time. This strange but true fact explains why they are so often at the center of an outbreak in the family or the community. When children become infected, unvaccinated household members quickly follow suit, leading to missed school days, missed work, doctor visits and sometimes hospital visits.
A staggering five to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu and more than 200,000 people end up hospitalized due to flu complications and about 36,000 people die each year from influenza.
Immunize El Paso is working with each of El Paso’s area schools to bring their influenza vaccination outreach campaign to the community. This campaign encourages everyone to avoid the potentially severe consequences of influenza by learning what can be done to prevent infection.
These are some simple steps to take to keep yourselves, your loved ones and those around you as healthy as possible during flu season:
Get your flu shot. Every year a new vaccine is developed to combat that year’s particular influenza virus, so annual immunization is necessary.
Wash your hands. Frequent hand washing keeps lots of germs out of our bodies, including the influenza virus. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer.
Stay home if you are sick. Should you become infected, keep the germs from spreading by staying home and taking care of yourself.
CLINIC LOCATIONS
Downtown:
222 S. Campbell, Basement, 79901
915-533-3414
Mon thru Fri: 9AM – 12 Noon, 2PM – 5PM
Eastside:
1580 George Dieter, Ste. 102, 79936
915-857-2474
Mon thru Fri: 9AM – 12 Noon, 2PM – 5PM
3rd Saturday Monthly: 9AM – 12 Noon
Source: Immunize El Paso
