Experts with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) say it is not too late to receive a seasonal flu shot and are encouraging people who have not gotten one to do so as soon as possible. According to the department, Iowa saw a more than 50-percent increase in reported influenza hospitalizations during the 2017-18 season and 272 flu-related deaths. Going along with that high number of serious cases, less than half of adults in Iowa, only 43 percent, received the recommended vaccination last year. While it may vary in its effectiveness from year to year, experts point to yearly vaccinations as a critical tool for curbing the number of influenza diagnoses or reducing the severity of individual cases. The department says many misunderstandings still exist, including the false belief a patient can contract influenza through vaccination. These misperceptions can discourage the people most at risk from the flu, such as children, the elderly and pregnant women, from receiving a vaccination. Doctors recommend everyone six months of age and older should receive a seasonal influenza vaccine. For more information, follow the links included with this story on our website.
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https://idph.iowa.gov/immtb/immunization/vaccine
