Sample Newsletter Blurbs

The 2017-18 seasonal influenza vaccination campaign will kick off September 28, 2017, with a press conference hosted by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) in partnership with CDC. Tune in at 10:00 am ET to hear about influenza from CDC and NFID’S panel of experts.

What you should know for the 2017-2018 Flu Season

Getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect you and your family from flu. CDC recommends that people get vaccinated by the end of October, if possible. A few things to note for this flu season:

• Flu vaccines have been updated to better match circulating flu viruses.
• For the second year, only injectable flu vaccines (flu shots) are recommended. LAIV, a nasal spray vaccine, is not recommended for use.

Learn more about what’s new for the 2017-2018 flu season.

You can join the effort to fight flu by getting your flu vaccine and encouraging people to protect themselves and their family by doing the same.  Join the conversation online with the hashtag #FightFlu, and show your support by joining CDC’s #FightFlu Thunderclap.

Flu season is around the corner!

Protect yourself and your family this season with an annual flu vaccine for everyone in your family who is 6 months of age and older. While the timing of flu season is unpredictable, seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and last as late as May. CDC recommends that people get vaccinated by the end of October, if possible.

So, get your flu vaccine today! It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body that protect against influenza virus infection.

You have the power to protect your family against flu this season. Get yourself and your family a flu vaccine. Fight flu!

Learn more.

Flu is a serious contagious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death. You have the power to protect yourself and your family this season with these three actions to fight flu.

1. Get a flu vaccine. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine by the end of October, if possible. A yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against the flu.
2. Take everyday actions to stop the spread of germs. Try to avoid close contact with sick people, and if you become sick, limit your contact with others. When possible, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
3. Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them. If you get the flu, prescription medicine called antiviral drugs can be used to treat flu illness. Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications. Learn more about how you can fight flu this season.

Parents: What You Need to Know this Flu Season.

The flu can be very dangerous for children. CDC estimates that since 2010, between 7,000 and 26,000 children younger than 5 years of age have been hospitalized each year in the United States because of flu. In past seasons, between 80% and 85% of flu-associated pediatric deaths have occurred in children who had not gotten a flu vaccine that season.

You have the power to protect your child and your family from flu this season by getting vaccinated and making sure everyone in your family 6 months and older gets their yearly flu vaccine too.

This season, only injectable flu vaccines (flu shots) are recommended for use. The nasal spray vaccine LAIV is NOT recommended for use because of concerns about how well it might work. Learn more about flu vaccine options available for children this season.

Help keep your family healthy this flu season. Fight flu. Get your family vaccinated.

Parents: What You Need to Know About Flu Vaccine if Your Child is 6 Months Through 8 Years Old.

Parents, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all children 6 months and older receive a seasonal flu vaccine yearly. But, did you know if your child is 6 months through 8 years old they may need two doses of flu vaccine?

CDC recommends that children 6 months through 8 years of age who are getting a flu vaccine for the first time, and those who previously have gotten only one dose of flu vaccine, get two doses this season. All children who have previously gotten two doses of flu vaccine (at any time) only need one dose of flu vaccine this season. If your child needs two doses, the first dose should be given soon after the vaccine becomes available. The second dose should be given at least 28 days after the first dose.

Talk to your child’s doctor about this season’s flu vaccine, and learn more about which flu vaccine is right for your child at CDC’s website.

Older Adults (65+)

Older Adults Need a Yearly Flu Shot!

While flu seasons can differ in severity, during most seasons, adults 65 years and older bear the greatest burden of severe flu disease, making it especially important for older adults to get an annual flu shot. In recent years it is estimated that between 71% and 85% of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred among people 65 years and older, and between 54% and 70% of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among people in that age group.

While flu vaccine can vary in how well it works, during seasons when flu vaccines are well-matched to circulating flu viruses, getting vaccinated has been shown to reduce the risk of getting sick by 40% to 60%. Other studies (for example) show that flu vaccines also protect similarly against hospitalization. A yearly flu vaccine is the best way to prevent flu illness.

You have the power to fight flu this season.  Protect yourself and the ones you love with a flu vaccine. Learn more information about flu and flu vaccines.