A Critical Part Of Everyone’s Health Care (NAPSA)—Getting a vaccination early in the flu season can help protect you—and those in your family and community— against the potentially dangerous effects of the flu. Roughly 5 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 200,000 are hospitalized annually due to flu-related complications. Additionally, the very young, the very old and those suffering from certain health conditions are especially vulnerable, with more than 90 percent of influenza- related deaths, about 36,000 Americans, occurring in people age 65 orolder. Many of these flu-related deaths could be prevented by vaccination early in the flu season. Maintaining high immunization rates also helps protect an entire community by interrupting the transmission of disease-causing viruses. That protection extends to people who cannot be immunized due to medical reasons. There are two types of vaccine available to fight the flu, according to the Department of Health and HumanServices. Flu shots use inactivated vaccine (contain- ing killed virus) that is given with a needle. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and patients who suffer from chronic medical conditions. A nasal spray flu vaccine is also available. This vaccine is made with weakened, live flu viruses that do not cause illness, Maintaining high immunization rates can help protect entire communities by interrupting the transmission of disease-causing viruses. and is approved for use in healthy people as young as 5, as well as for adults up to age 49 who are not pregnant. If you are uninsured, unable to afford your flu vaccine or have trouble paying for other medicines that you need, help is available through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). The PPA, sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, helps patients who cannot afford their prescription medicines by providing information on more than 475 patient assistance programs that offer free or nearly free medicines. In addition, the PPA can also help connect uninsured patients to free health care clinics across America. For more flu facts, visit www.cde.gov/FLU/protect/keyfacts. htm. For more information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit www.PPARX.org or call (888) 4PPA-NOW.
