The American Lung Association Kicks Off 2010-2011 Influenza Season in the Kansas City Metro Area

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the support of leading health experts, now recommends influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older.

Locally, between 21,791 and 87,165 Kansas City Metro Area residents will suffer from influenza in an average year. In an effort to educate local residents about the importance of annual seasonal influenza vaccination, the American Lung Association of the Plains-Gulf Region is kicking off the 2010-2011 Faces of Influenza initiative in the Kansas City Metro Area by partnering with the Independence Health Department to hold a drive-thru vaccination clinic for city employees on September 28, 2010.

City employees will be getting vaccinated to set an example for local residents, who are invited to get themselves vaccinated at clinics citywide beginning September 29.

"It is our goal to keep residents as healthy as possible," said Cindy Horne, Operations Section Chief, Independence Health Department. "By getting vaccinated against influenza, Independence city employees are showing everyone in the greater Kansas City Metro Area that vaccination is the best way to help protect against influenza and its complications."

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death, for you or someone with whom you come in contact. Influenza and its complications result in an estimated 226,000 hospitalizations and thousands of deaths annually.

"We all are 'faces' of influenza and it is the responsibility of every Kansas City Metro Area resident to talk to your health care provider about vaccination," said local spokesperson Julie Moise, who lost her 6-1/2-month-old son, Ian, to influenza-related complications in 2003. "Many people are affected by seasonal influenza every year and don't realize that getting vaccinated is an easy way to protect their health, their family's health and the health of our community."

The American Lung Association's Faces of Influenza campaign encourages local residents to see themselves and their loved ones among the many "faces" of influenza – people 6 months of age and older who should be immunized against influenza this and every year.

Vaccination is safe and effective, and the best way to help prevent influenza and its complications. This year, the seasonal influenza vaccine will include the 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain, so only one influenza vaccination will be needed.

Get Vaccinated Against Seasonal Influenza

Many community leaders, including the Independence Health Department, are partnering with the American Lung Association of the Plains-Gulf Region's Faces of Influenza campaign to reinforce that vaccination is the best protection available against the disease.

Kansas City resident Julie Moise is also partnering with the campaign to urge people to get themselves and their loved ones vaccinated, so no one has to experience what she did.  Moise's son Ian received his first dose of the vaccination two weeks prior to his death, but he became ill before he could receive his second dose, which is necessary to provide full immunity for children less than 9 years of age. She had Ian's two older brothers vaccinated the year that Ian died, but did not know that she and her husband should also have been vaccinated in order to better help protect her family.

"We always knew that we could help protect ourselves from the flu by getting the flu vaccine," said Moise. "But we didn't know that getting ourselves vaccinated could have protected Ian, too."

Independence city employees, along with Moise, are leading the way by example to show all Kansas City Metro Area residents that getting vaccinated against influenza is the best way to help protect themselves and their loved ones.

We All Are "Faces" of Influenza

The Faces of Influenza campaign, which includes expanded awareness initiatives nationally and in many major cities, supports the CDC's universal influenza immunization recommendation to vaccinate everyone 6 months of age and older.

Celebrities, health officials and everyday people, such as Julie Moise, have joined the Faces of Influenza campaign, sharing personal stories about their experiences with the disease and encouraging annual influenza vaccination.

The Lung Association is working with other families across the country who have lost loved ones to influenza. These parents, as well as others involved in the program, have joined the Faces of Influenza campaign to help prevent the tragedies they experienced from happening to other families.

Faces of Influenza Awareness Activities

The Faces of Influenza initiative also includes educational materials for the public and health care providers, as well as the national distribution of television and radio public service announcements. The Lung Association has developed a website, www.facesofinfluenza.org, where the public and health care providers can find more information about influenza and the importance of immunization. Visitors to the site also can view the photographs and stories of the featured "faces" of influenza.

About Seasonal Influenza

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death, for you or someone with whom you come into contact. Each year in the U.S., on average, influenza and its related complications result in approximately 226,000 hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. Vaccination is safe and effective, and the best way to help prevent influenza and its complications.

We all are "faces" of influenza and are at risk of contracting the virus. The CDC, with the support of leading health experts, now recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older be immunized. Vaccination is important for everyone in the U.S., however influenza immunization rates in the highest-risk groups fall far short of public health goals every year. Groups at higher risk of influenza infection or complications include: adults over 50 years of age; children 6 months-18 years of age; pregnant women; anyone with chronic health conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and diabetes; and residents of long-term care facilities. The CDC also recommends annual immunization for caregivers and household contacts of these high-risk groups, such as relatives and health care providers.

You should be immunized as soon as vaccine is available in the late summer or early fall. If you didn't have a chance to obtain influenza vaccine early in the season, immunization throughout the season into the spring or as long as the influenza virus is in circulation is beneficial because in most seasons, influenza disease doesn't peak until that time. It only takes about two weeks for the vaccine to protect against the virus.

About the American Lung Association 

Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is "Fighting for Air" through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lungusa.org.

For More Information

For more information about the Faces of Influenza educational initiative, visit www.facesofinfluenza.org. For information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or log onto www.lungusa.org. The American Lung Association's Faces of Influenza educational initiative is made possible through a collaboration with sanofi pasteur.

SOURCE American Lung Association