Faces of Influenza Initiative Kicks off in Oregon

(September 15, 2011)—

Contact: Bev Stewart 
(503) 718-6146
bstewart@lungmtpacific.org  

The American Lung Association Kicks Off 2011-2012 Influenza Season in Oregon

Universal Vaccination Recommendation Means All Oregon Residents 6 Months of Age and Older Should Be Immunized

Portland, Ore.–The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the support of leading health experts, recommends influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older.

Locally, between 190,000 and 760,000 Oregon residents will suffer from influenza in an average year. In an effort to educate Oregon residents about the importance of annual seasonal influenza vaccination, the American Lung Association in Oregon is kicking off the 2011-2012 Faces of Influenza initiative in Oregon.

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death, for you or someone with whom you come in contact. Each year in the U.S., on average, influenza and its related complications result in approximately 226,000 hospitalizations. Depending on virus severity during the influenza season, deaths can range from 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people.
 
“We all are ‘faces’ of influenza and it is the responsibility of every Oregon resident to talk to your health care provider about vaccination,” said Dr. David Schmidt, with Kaiser Permanente.  “Many people are affected by seasonal influenza every year and don’t realize that getting vaccinated is an easy way to protect their health, their family’s health and the health of our community.”

The American Lung Association’s Faces of Influenza campaign encourages local residents to see themselves and their loved ones among the many “faces” of influenza – people 6 months of age and older who should be immunized against influenza this and every year.  Vaccination is safe and effective, and the best way to help prevent influenza and its complications.

We All Are “Faces” of Influenza
The Faces of Influenza campaign, which includes expanded awareness initiatives nationally and in many major cities, supports the CDC’s universal influenza immunization recommendation to vaccinate everyone 6 months of age and older.

Celebrities, health officials and everyday people have joined the Faces of Influenza campaign, sharing personal stories about their experiences with the disease and encouraging annual influenza vaccination.

The Lung Association is working with other families across the country who have lost loved ones to influenza. These parents, as well as others involved in the program, have joined the Faces of Influenza campaign to help prevent the tragedies they experienced from happening to other families.

Faces of Influenza Awareness Activities
The Faces of Influenza initiative also includes educational materials for the public and health care providers, as well as the national distribution of television and radio public service announcements. The Lung Association has developed a Web site, www.facesofinfluenza.org, where the public and health care providers can find more information about influenza and the importance of immunization. Visitors to the site also can view the photographs and stories of the featured “faces” of influenza.

About Seasonal Influenza
Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death, for you or someone with whom you come into contact. Each year in the U.S., on average, influenza and its related complications result in approximately 226,000 hospitalizations. Depending on virus severity during the influenza season, deaths can range from 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people. Vaccination is safe and effective, and the best way to help prevent influenza and its complications.
 
We all are “faces” of influenza and are at risk of contracting the virus. The CDC, with the support of leading health experts, now recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older be immunized. Vaccination is important for everyone in the U.S., however influenza immunization rates in the highest-risk groups fall far short of public health goals every year. Groups at higher risk of developing influenza-related complications include: adults over 50 years of age; children 6 months-18 years of age; pregnant women; anyone with chronic health conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and diabetes; and residents of long-term care facilities. The CDC also recommends annual immunization for caregivers and household contacts of these high-risk groups, such as relatives and health care providers.

You should be immunized as soon as vaccine is available in the late summer or early fall. If you didn’t have a chance to obtain influenza vaccine early in the influenza season, immunization into the spring or as long as the influenza virus is in circulation is beneficial. This is because in most seasons, influenza activity doesn’t peak until winter or early spring. In fact, as long as influenza viruses are in circulation, it’s a good idea to get vaccinated. It only takes about two weeks for the vaccine to protect against the virus.

For More Information
For more information about the Faces of Influenza educational initiative, visit www.facesofinfluenza.org. For information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or log onto www.lung.org. The American Lung Association’s Faces of Influenza educational initiative is made possible through a collaboration with sanofi pasteur.

# # #
 
About the American Lung Association in Oregon
The American Lung Association in Oregon is a non-profit, voluntary public health organization, working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease in Oregon. Our programs focus on the areas of asthma, clean air, tobacco prevention and lung disease.

For more information about the American Lung Association in Oregon or to support the work it does, call (503) 924-4094 or visit: www.lungoregon.org.