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FORT KNOX, Ky. — While the COVID-19 vaccine has been the focus of many recent health talks, it’s the time of year for another important vaccination discussion: the annual flu shot.
Doctor James Stephens, chief of Preventive Medicine at Fort Knox’s U.S. Army Medical Command, explained many have become complacent about this recurring illness over the past couple years.
“Everybody thinks about COVID-19 as a pandemic, but we have a pandemic every single year: it’s called the flu,” said Stephens. “A lot of people have forgotten that because it’s so commonplace.”
Because a different illness has been dominating the headlines for nearly two years, Stephens said many people don’t realize the flu is still rampant.
“When we talk about those high numbers with COVID — 35-37 million people — we still have that every single year with the flu,” said Stephens. “Depending on what year and how well we’ve done, we’ve lost as many as 25,000 up to 60,000 just from the flu, but you don’t hear about it because it’s a more common everyday scenario and it has been for over 100 years.”
According to Stephens, there are three main ways to battle the flu: herd immunity, medications to treat it, and vaccines. He said while some pose the argument “the flu shot doesn’t prevent the flu,” there’s something they may not be considering.
“Very few vaccines are developed to keep you from getting the disease,” said Stephens. “The whole point of a vaccine is to keep you from getting a severe form of the disease. When you get the flu shot you can get the flu, but it will decrease it’s severity by 40%.
“It decreases time off from work, medical care, money spent on insurance, and the number of hospitalizations and emergency room visits — just like what the COVID vaccine has done. That is the biggest reason to get the flu vaccine: so that we can make this disease as ineffective as possible.”
Stephens urged community members who have not received their flu shot to act quickly.
“The flu season starts Oct. 1 and really goes until March,” said Stephens. “We would always prefer people get it a little bit earlier, especially going into the holidays. You don’t want that spreading around.”
Another point Stephens highlighted was to get the flu shot in addition to a COVID vaccine.
“When we get one, we want to get the other,” said Stephens. “You can get them both together — they’re safe to get and there’s no concern with getting both. They work totally separately and don’t interfere with each other or cause increased medical problems.”
Stephens stated every person — from six months and older — needs a flu shot. For children 8 years old and younger, a second dose is best to build up immunity, and those 65 and older need a more potent dose because their immune systems may not work as well. Stephens also had one important message for parents of school-age kids.
“If your child gets sick, you end up taking the child to the emergency room or acute care,” said Stephens. “Now you’ve exposed the child to further illnesses that are sitting in the waiting room. If you have other children or they go to school sick, they’re going to spread it other children.
“We’ve had to shut down classrooms for flu in the past, not just COVID. It’s so important they get the flu shot.”
According to Stephens, the 2020-21 season had the lowest number of flu occurrences since health professionals first started monitoring them. He attributed this to the population’s response to COVID, something which needs to continue to lessen the effects of the flu.
“The other part of [prevention] is good hygiene,” said Stephens. “Wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick, and cough or sneeze into your elbow.”
Overall, Stephens said, the most important thing community members can do to protect themselves and one another is go in for a flu shot: ”otherwise, we’ll continue to inundate already overburdened medical facilities.
“Everyone should get it, because that’s what keeps this disease so under wraps in the United States.”
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Editor’s note: Flu shots are available for DA civilians and contractors, military retirees and dependents ages 64 and younger at Fort Knox in Bldg. 1747 Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. now through Nov. 22. No appointment is needed.
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