City of Crowley, NAACP to offer free flu shots
Howell "Howie" Dennis is the news editor for The Crowley Post-Signal. He can be reached at howie.dennis@crowleytoday.com or 337-783-3450.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. until noon, the Acadia Parish Chapter of the NAACP 6692 and the City of Crowley are joining forces with Walgreen’s for their annual Free Flu Shot Campaign.
“Last year a lot of people wound up not taking the shot and then had to purchase it,” said Walter Andrus, president of the Crowley NAACP. “This was hard for those who were out of work and didn’t have insurance.”
Andrus wants to emphasize that the campaign is not only for the citizens of West Crowley.
“We hope that all citizens of Crowley will take advantage this,” he said.
Medicaid and Medicare cards will be accepted. For those without insurance vouchers will be provided.
It is well-known that influenza can take a severe toll on those who contract it and certain strains can produce a stronger effect.
Many people falsely believe that children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to its effects. While this is true to a great extent — hospitalization rates were still highest for those over 65 — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received unusually high reports of severe flu illness among young and middle-aged adults, many of whom were infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus.
Nearly 60 percent of the flu-associated hospitalizations reported to CDC’s influenza surveillance system were in people 18 to 64 years old. These severe flu outcomes should serve as a reminder that flu can be a very serious disease, even young, previously health adults.
Last year, the flu hit Louisiana especially hard with the peak months being December and January, ruining the holidays for many state residents.
Doctors say that, in addition to getting the vaccine, there are other ways to prevent the flu, or at least lessen its symptoms.
Washing your hands frequently and staying home when you’re sick can help you get through the flu season. Doctors have also recommend using antivirals within the first two days of experiencing any flulike symptoms.
The H1N1 virus, formerly known as the Swine Flu, has made a comeback in recent years, becoming a pandemic in 2009. The strain has become so public that it is being included in this year’s vaccination.