More Children Ages 0-4 Died Or Were Hospitalized For Flu Last Year Than In The Previous Three Years!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2008
Contact
Brandon Meline, Director of Maternal & Child Health
(217) 531-4297 /
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
More Children Ages 0-4 Died Or Were Hospitalized For Flu Last Year Than In The Previous Three Years!
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District encourages parents to have children vaccinated against flu in a new painless way.
Champaign, IL – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages parents to have their children vaccinated against annual flu. Last flu season (2007-2008) showed a greater overall mortality and higher rates of hospitalization for children ages 04 years as compared to the previous three years. CUPHD now offers a painless flu vaccination for children ages 6 months to 18 years. The new vaccination called FluMist is not traditionally injected with a needle, but rather administered as an intranasal spray.
Thanks to the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, FluMist is free to all children who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid recipients, participants in All Kids, American Indian or Native Alaskan. CUPHD will charge a small administration fee of $7.00 for each dose which can be billed to Medicaid, some private insurance, or paid privately. Donations are welcome for those customers unable to pay the amount in full.
FluMist is a live weakened influenza virus vaccine approved for the prevention of certain types of influenza disease in children. FluMist should not be given to anyone with a history of hypersensitivity to eggs, egg proteins, gentamicin, gelatin or arginine; children with adverse reactions to previous flu shots; and children receiving aspirin or aspirin containing therapy. FluMist is not recommended for children with asthma or other breathing problems (these children are highly encouraged to receive a traditional flu shot via injection), history of Guillain-Barre syndrome, children with weakened immune syndrome, and long-term medical conditions including heart disease, kidney disease, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
“Influenza is a serious, and sometimes life-threatening disease,” said Brandon Meline, Director of Maternal & Child Health Management for CUPHD. “Children are an especially high risk population, and complications stemming from exposure to influenza infections can have far-reaching effects, especially for children suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, and assorted immune suppression factors.”
CUPHD hopes that by offering such a convenient and painless option, that more parents will have their children vaccinated, thus reducing the number of people susceptible to illness this flu season. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5-20% of the population gets the flu annually, more than 200,000 are hospitalized from flu complications, and about 36,000 people die from the flu each year. Some people, such as the elderly, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.
FluMist is available during regular CUPHD business hours, Monday thru Friday; 8:00am – 4:00pm, at the 201 West Kenyon Road location. Please make an appointment by calling (217) 531-4305.
Immunization is an easy and effective way to keep everyone healthy and safe during flu season – make an appointment for you and your family members today!
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s Maternal & Child Health Management Division offers a variety of services at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign. Services include, but are not limited to: Women, Infants & Children (WIC), Family Case Management / Healthworks, Teen Parent Services, Childhood Immunizations, Breastfeeding Support, Blood Lead Tests, and All Kids Applications.
For more information about FluMist and other CUPHD programs and services, call (217) 352-7961 or visit the CUPHD website at www.c-uphd.org.
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