Survey: Too many people skipping the flu shot


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Utah's state epidemiologist calls a mid-season survey of flu shot numbers across the country "disturbing." According to a first-of-its-kind poll by the Rand Corporation, too many people are not getting the shots.

As we reported earlier this season, the Centers for Disease Control recommends everybody from 6 months of age on up should get a flu shot. That's why, for the first time this year in Utah, mass immunization clinics have moved into schools.

The clinics make getting the shots convenient for students and their families, but the Rand survey on who is or is not getting protection doesn't look good. Only 3 in 10 adults, 18 years old and older, have had their shots; and only 1 in 5 adults say they intend to get a shot at all.

Survey: Too many people skipping the flu shot

Too many caregivers, health care workers and people with asthma are not doing it as well. State epidemiologist Dr. Robert Rolfs calls the numbers, which are comparable in all states, "disturbing."

"Even if you take the third who've gotten the vaccine so far and another fifth or so, we only get about half the people who plan on having received it. So, half the people remain unprotected against a pretty serious illness. That's what I meant by disturbing," Rolfs said.

The Utah Department of Health says the flu season, so far, has been fairly mild, but then that's not unusual. Utah normally doesn't get hit hard until after the holidays, more likely in January and February.

Survey: Too many people skipping the flu shot

Rolfs says the vaccine is a good match, not only for the traditional strains, but also for some nasty variant ones that caught us by surprise last year.

Epidemiologists say if you think you can escape getting the flu every year without a shot, at least think about others if you should get it. "If it's not for you, protect the people that you love who may get sick; and that would be our fault if we didn't do this," Rolfs said.

The influenza season is always from October through May, so the worst could be yet to come. Vaccinations, even after the holidays, will protect you for those peak periods.

E-mail: eyeates@ksl.com

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Ed Yeates

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