Reasons to Get the Flu Vaccination

As flu season approaches, Children’s Medical Center offers these valuable reminders of why it is important to get a flu vaccination:

• Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick from flu.

• Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization, including among children and older adults.

• A 2014 study showed that flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of flu-related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission by 74% during flu seasons from 2010-2012

• Flu vaccination is an important preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions.

• Vaccination helps protect women during and after pregnancy. Getting vaccinated also protects the baby several months after birth.

• A study that looked at flu vaccine effectiveness in pregnant women found that vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated acute respiratory infection by about one half.

• Another study found that babies of women who got a flu vaccine during their pregnancy were about one-third less likely to get sick with flu than babies in unvaccinated women. This protective benefit was observed for four months after birth.

• Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick.

• Getting vaccinated yourself also protects people around you, including those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people, and people with certain chronic health conditions.