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National Influenza Vaccination Week

This week, MacGill supports the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and their recognition of National Influenza Vaccination Week. School nurses can have a significant impact on reducing the spread of the influenza virus by communicating with families about prevention, symptom-recognition, and vaccine options. As we approach the upcoming flu season, continuing to address reducing the spread of influenza is essential.

Prevention

Prevention education, including instructions for proper hand washing techniques, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Sharing these reminders helps prevent the spread of influenza as well as other illnesses, including COVID-19.

  • Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
  • If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces.

 

Symptom-Recognition

Early recognition of symptoms can help parents know when to keep children home to help prevent the spread of the influenza viruses.

  • Symptoms include: fever, chills, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue.
  • The influenza virus has an incubation period of 1 to 4 days.
  • Symptoms may last 7 to 14 days.

 

Vaccine Options

NASN and many other health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommend that most people 6 months of age and older get an influenza vaccine by the end of October every year.

  • Because the influenza virus strains change each year, the vaccine must be repeated annually.
  • Within two weeks of receiving the vaccine, the benefits should be in effect for most people.
  • People who receive the influenza vaccine may still get strains of the flu that were not included in the seasonal influenza vaccine for that particular year.
  • According to the CDC, serious complications with the influenza vaccine are rare, it is not possible to contract influenza from the vaccine, and side effects are typically mild. The risks associated with contracting influenza are far greater than risks associated with the vaccine for most people. The CDC lists side effects for all vaccines on their website, including both the live and inactivated influenza vaccines.

 

Some states have influenza vaccine mandates. Check here to confirm vaccination requirements in your state.

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For updates on seasonal influenza activity, keep an eye on the CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report.

For more information about helping to prevent the spread of the influenza virus, check out the Keep Flu Out of School Toolkit developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and directed by NASN in collaboration with Families Fighting Flu and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

Shop MacGill’s selection of hand washing education and hand sanitizer.

To shop MacGill’s selection of cleaning and infection control products, click here.

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