Why Vaccinate
The Facts Favor Vaccination
Fact #1: Vaccination helps prevent widespread illness and saves lives
The single best way to help prevent influenza is yearly vaccination. Vaccination against influenza helps protect from illness, save lives, and reduce medical and lost productivity costs. Influenza vaccination is well tolerated by most people and is the most effective measure available to help prevent influenza.
Fact #2: Influenza can be deadly
In an average year in the U.S., more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die from influenza and its complications. Complications of influenza include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may develop sinus problems and ear infections.
Fact #3: Many patient groups are vulnerable
The elderly, people with certain chronic illnesses, and young children are all considered high-risk for complications from influenza. People who are in close contact with them, such as healthcare workers, teachers, and parents, are recommended for vaccination to prevent transmission to these high risk groups.
Fact #4: Influenza vaccination can help reduce the burden on the healthcare practice
Annual influenza vaccinations have resulted in up to 44% fewer visits to healthcare providers for treatment of upper respiratory illness. Furthermore, the number of hospitalizations due to influenza was reduced by more than 50%.2
Fact #5: Influenza vaccination makes economic sense
Vaccination has been found to reduce lost workdays by 57% (vs no intervention at all). Preventing influenza and its spread can be weighed against the staggering economic toll influenza places on the country every year: 3 to 5 billion dollars in direct costs per outbreak, and between 12 and 14 billion dollars in total costs.1
- Monto AS. Epidemiology and virology of influenza illness. Am J Managed Care. 2000;6(suppl 5):S255-S264.
- Mauskopf AJ, Cates SC, Griffin AD. A pharmacoeconomic model for the treatment of influenza. Pharmacoeconomics. 1999;16(suppl 1).
