Post Content
Have you had your flu shot yet? Nearly half of those who should get vaccinated don’t get their flu shots, leading to thousands of hospitalizations every year. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the New England Revolution to remind you that while soccer season may be over, flu season is here.
The new campaign features a photo of a smiling Brad Knighton, Revolution goalkeeper, holding a soccer ball and sporting a Band-Aid over his flu shot. Photos were taken in the Revolution’s training facility in Foxboro at the close of their season. The message? “A flu shot is your BEST DEFENSE against illness.”
The campaign launched this week with social media and will include posters and billboards over the next several weeks. The goal is to remind everyone that while winter weather has begun, it is not too late to get vaccinated.
Nationally, the vaccination message seems to be resonating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), early numbers show that more people have already gotten flu shots, with about 45 percent of children and adults getting their flu shot as of mid-November, almost 7 percent higher than this time last year.
Public health officials say that’s very good news.
“Flu season may not peak until February or even March, so there is still time to protect yourself by getting a flu shot,” said DPH’s Dr. Larry Madoff, Director of the DPH Division of Epidemiology and Immunization. “Vaccination for everyone over 6 months of age is critical to help protect your friends, your family and your community.”
Madoff says that flu vaccine is available across the state at multiple locations, including health care provider offices, pharmacies, school and workplace vaccination clinics, and flu vaccine clinics sponsored by local boards of health. A list of flu vaccine availability based on zip code can be found at https://vaccinefinder.org/
For more information about influenza, visit www.mass.gov/flu. If you have questions, please call your health care provider, local board of health, or DPH at 617-983-6800.
Brad Knighton had his flu shot this season and he joins DPH to remind you to get yours.
##
Written By:
Alison Cohen
Communications Director at the Department of Public Health
Tags: Brad, Department of Public Health, DPH, England, flu, Knighton, New, Prevention, Revolution, season, shot, vaccine
Recent Posts
Elevating the Essential Workforce posted on Apr 11
Written by Emily Sparer-Fine, Director of the Occupational Health and Surveillance Program Essential workers encompass a wide variety of occupations, many of which are familiar to us: health care workers, police, fire and other emergency personnel, transit workers and grocery workers, while other workers equally …Continue Reading Elevating the Essential Workforce
Uplifting Mental Health and Wellness posted on Apr 10
Written by Nicole Schmitt of the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services To address the needs of individuals at high risk for overdose and other medical complications associated with substance use, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Bureau of Substance Addiction Services awarded contracts to …Continue Reading Uplifting Mental Health and Wellness
Building COVID-19 Resilience for Families of Children with Special Health Needs posted on Apr 9
Written by Elaine Gabovitch of the Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition Emergency care plans (ECPs) are important tools that families of children with special health needs can use to prepare for their children’s safety and wellbeing during COVID-19 and other health related emergencies. Having …Continue Reading Building COVID-19 Resilience for Families of Children with Special Health Needs
The US Constitution grants all residents of the US the fundamental rights to life, freedom and persuit of happiness. The recent push by Dr. Lawrence Madoff for mandatory flu vaccine on children’s is not only outrageous but a blatant violation of our constitutional rights. One may argue that it is not forced as we remain free not to do it, yet punishing children from getting an education because their parents made the informed choice of preserving them from these dangerous and poorly efficient drugs is despicable and since school is actually mandatory, it is equivalent to forcing it. Why don’t you try to force it on adults first? The herd immunity reasoning does not hold any ground unless the entire population is vaccinated at over 95% and the vaccine works at 95%. None these are either realistic nore ever possible, they are just pipe dreams of doctors who feel empowered by their know it all attitude to keep drugging Americans and line the pockets of vaccines manufacturers which are not even accountable in a court when someone gets hurt by their bad products. Are you the next Dr Pan?