With the feeling of cooler weather, fall break and pumpkin spice-everything among us, it's clear that flu season is rapidly approaching. While the health benefits of getting a flu shot are abundant, for many the choice to get their flu vaccine comes down to the desire to participate in some of the season's festivities.
According to a poll from Walgreens published last year, 47 percent of Americans have missed a holiday event in recent years due to unexpected illness. That same survey showed nearly one in three are worried about it happening again this year. Findings like these have helped the Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) inform its strategy for promoting flu shots for the year. This year's tag line emphasizes the quality of life benefits a flu shot can provide: "Less flu. More fun." The message behind this tagline is that taking a few minutes to get your flu shot can help you better enjoy the fall and winter months, as a flu shot can help prevent or diminish the impact of flu on your life. MPHD is working to make the benefits of a flu shot available and accessible to as many people as possible.
MPHD kicked off its annual flu shot campaign by administering 68 flu shots ahead of the Metro Council Meeting at the Historic Courthouse and City Hall on Thursday, October 9. This comes ahead of Fight Flu Day on Tuesday, October 21, when flu shots will be administered at three separate sites across the community. Accessibility is a focus of planning efforts around Fight Flu Day, with sites at the Lentz Public Health Center along with the Goodlettsville and Madison Branches of the Nashville Public Library. Flu shots will be free at each site, ensuring all who show up and would like a flu shot can get one. By making flu shots free for the community starting October 21, fewer barriers exist and more people are able to access an important public health intervention and ultimately enjoy a higher quality of life this upcoming flu season.