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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The state health commissioner is urging Indiana residents to get flu shots, saying it helps prevent many from getting sick.
Dr. Jerome Adams says flu shots help protect families. He says influenza is unpredictable, but it claims several thousand American lives every year.
Influenza is a viral infection of the respiratory tract that is spread by respiratory droplets from close contact with infected people or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
Some people are at higher risk of complications related to the flu that sometimes lead to hospitalization and even death. High risk individuals include pregnant women; young children, especially those younger than 6 months who cannot be vaccinated; people with chronic illnesses or compromised immune systems; and elderly people.
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