Influenza Argumentative Essay

Seasonal influenza is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the industrialized world. The United States alone averages more than 23,000 influenza-associated deaths annually (Cortes-Penfield, 2014). Everyone is given the option to receive the flu vaccination each year. The vaccine is offered in health care facilities, clinics, and pharmacies around

1.With a mutated influenza strand emerging each year new vaccines must be made to properly protect against them.

According to Papatya Tankut—RPh Vice President of Pharmacy Affairs at CVS health—“Getting a flu shot is the most effective way to protect yourself and your family from getting the flu” (A). Most people underestimate the importance of the flu shot even though it is the best thing someone can do to stay healthy. It allows for people's body to identify influenza so it knows how to fight back incase it has to face the flu. With this, it is also never too late for someone to receive the flu vaccine. The CCD recommends to receive the influenza vaccine as soon as it is released for flu season; however, it is still beneficial to get the vaccine as long as the disease is circulating (C). Throughout the flu season, there are many opportunities to receive the flu and become sick. Even getting the influenza vaccine during the second half of flu season helps protect your body from that point until flu season ends. By families receiving the flu shot at the beginning of the season or towards the middle or end, the influenza vaccine helps people become more immune to the

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “It's estimated that 90 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths and more than 60 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations in the United States each year occur in people 65 years and older “ (2011).The CDC advises that the best way to prevent and control the spread of influenza each year is by the use of vaccinnations. In effort to control and prevent influenza epidemics, the CDC uses the epidemiological process to predict the strain of the virus that will be most relevant to the population and this data is used to formulate influenza vaccinations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011).

Annually there are a number of children who contract the influenza during the influenza season that results in an increase in costs in pediatric office visits and antibiotic and other medications consumption and also in a significant increase in absences from school and work. Thus influenza vaccination of children can help reduce the number of visit to pediatric office,  hospitalizations, and help prevent the spread of influenza in the wider community. Moreover vaccinating children is cost effective when considering all the cost of treatment for influenza and its complications. Therefore yearly vaccination of children with the inactivated influenza vaccine save  parent money and time away from the pediatric clinic. Influenza vaccine does not

Fortunately, a vaccine exists for the flu, the influenza vaccine. The influenza shot shows great feedback on it’s effectiveness. “A series of cohort studies undertaken between 1980 and 2010 showed a significant reduction in hospital admission and all-cause mortality after seasonal influenza vaccination for individuals aged 65 years and older” (Assad par. 14). Due to a series of studies done, they found out that within a thirty year time period, the influenza vaccine brought down the amount of hospitalizations and the number of deaths lessened. The influenza shot can also protect the elderly from other health issues as well.

In the healthcare field, it is essential that workers receive the flu vaccination due to the potential to either become infected by a patient or unknowingly spreading the virus to the patient population. The state of New York requires that health care workers in not only hospitals but other medical agencies in the state “be immunized against influenza viruses as a precondition

In recent years encouragement to get flu shots has become a yearly mantra. Elderly, children six months to two years, health care workers and immune-deficient people are urged in the strongest terms to go to their doctors or clinics and get a flu shot. This group encompasses about 98 million people. In the fall of 2004 this was in the forefront of American and to some extent the Western World media with the shortage of this flu seasons vaccine. Current medical wisdom states that flu shots are safe, effective and prevent mortality. A recent study published by The Journal of the American Medicine Association (JAMA) has brought the current wisdom into question. On February 14, 2005 JAMA

Immunization rates still remain low and hospitals that have voluntary programs in place, are not seeing the results they would if mandatory vaccine programs were put in to place. A mandatory influenza vaccine policy is the best solution to this issue and long overdue. Health care-associated influenza occurrences are becoming more common as it contributes to patient mortality and morbidity (The American Academy of Pediatrics, 2010). Thus, proving even further the need to prevent and control influenza by putting the health and safety of our patients first.

For the past ten years, we at Virginia Mason Medical Center have been implementing mandatory influenza vaccination. This is due to the flu vaccination being able to reduce flu illnesses and prevent flu-related hospitalizations. According to the Center for Control and Disease (CDC, 2014) during 2012-2013, an estimated 45% of the U.S population got vaccinated, helping to prevent an estimated 6.6 million flu-related illness, with 3.2 million flu-related medical visits, almost 80,000 hospitalizations and roughly $87 billion dollars in total economic burden. Influenza is extremely contagious and each year on an average 5%-20% of the U.S population get the flu with tens of thousands die from a flu-related illness. Therefore, many health cares setting along with Virginia Mason Medical Center is mandating all their healthcare workers to get the influenza vaccination. Consequently, making annual influenza vaccination requirement for healthcare workers a continuing and debatable health topic. The potential of getting the vaccination have great benefits to healthcare professionals, their patients, and their families by

CONCLUSION: Flu vaccinations are the most effective method at protecting the public from the flu. WHO organization must predict the correct circulating strain for the yearly flu vaccinations. It is important to encourage people to be vaccinated before the flu season begins.

Each year 6-20% of U.S. residents are infected by influenza and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to complications (Klepser, Corn, Schmidt, Dering-Anderson, & Klepser, 2015). Influenza has a huge impact on not only the health of our nation, but economically, as well. Studies show that the single most effective way to prevent the spread of influenza is to vaccinate. The CDC recommends that all children over 6 months old to be vaccinated against influenza yearly (CDC, n.d.). Seldom have there been medical advancements that have impacted the health of billions of people. One such important medical advancement is the invention of vaccines. At the end of the 20th century, the CDC published its list of

Every fall season we hear the question; did you get your flu shot yet? It is supposed to protect you from that nasty flu virus that circulates our communities during the fall and winter months. But, did you know that in 2011 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Adverse Event Reporting Systems Website (AERS) reported 51 deaths caused by the flu vaccine in the United States (U.S.) (CDC,2012). According to National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), as of July 2012 there have been more than 84,000 reports of adverse reactions, 1000 vaccine related deaths and over 1600 cases of Guillain- Barre syndrome, a acute form of paralysis, triggered by the vaccine (NVIC.ORG).

Vaccinations are not only beneficial to the vaccinated, but to the public health of the

According to Healthy People 2020 a goal of theirs is to “increase immunization rates and reduce preventable infections.” The influenza virus is one of these preventable infections, which can cause serious harm to patients. The influenza virus is known as the “flu.” Everyone in his or her life has had some experience with the flu, whether that is himself or herself or a family member. What if there was a way to ensure people from contracting a strain of the influenza virus? Well, thanks to technology and medical research there is.