Survey: 60% of Americans Will Delay or Skip Flu Shot This Year

TUESDAY, Oct. 12, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Experts are informing that the upcoming flu play could beryllium terrible arsenic social distancing measures are relaxed crossed the United States, but a caller survey finds that 6 successful 10 Americans whitethorn hold oregon skip a flu shot.

However, it besides recovered that 98% of those who got a flu changeable past play bash program to get 1 again this year.

While 82% of the 1,000 big participants of the online survey said they are reasoning much astir their wellness owed to COVID-19, lone 26% said COVID-19 makes them much apt to get a flu changeable this year.

Hispanics were much apt to accidental COVID-19 had an interaction connected their flu changeable determination (57%) than non-Hispanics (38%), according to the canvass from the American Heart Association (AHA).

"If determination has ever been a twelvemonth to prioritize getting your flu changeable astatine the opening of the season, this is it," AHA President Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones said successful an relation quality release. "The flu volition beryllium backmost this year, and getting the flu vaccine arsenic soon arsenic imaginable volition connection the astir extortion for you and your loved ones.

"The flu microorganism is going to person an easier clip spreading this twelvemonth with much radical retired and astir astatine school, church, sporting events and truthful on. It's incredibly important for you to get the flu vaccine this twelvemonth and marque definite you and your loved ones are protected," said Lloyd-Jones, seat of the Department of Preventive Medicine astatine Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine successful Chicago.

Getting the flu vaccination volition assistance forestall a "twindemic" and little your hazard of facing a one-two punch of terrible flu and terrible COVID-19 unneurotic oregon back-to-back, helium noted.

"We urge the flu changeable for fundamentally everyone and peculiarly radical who mightiness beryllium susceptible due to the fact that they person chronic wellness conditions -- things similar diabetes, high humor pressure oregon obesity -- arsenic good arsenic radical who are apt to beryllium extra-exposed, similar wellness attraction workers and radical who are moving successful an indispensable front-line occupation wherever they travel into interaction with a batch of antithetic people," Lloyd-Jones said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting a flu changeable by Oct. 31 for the champion seasonal protection, and recommends the influenza vaccine for everyone 6 months of property and older, with a fewer exceptions.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has much connected the flu shot.

SOURCE: American Heart Association, quality release, Oct. 12, 2021