ANN ARBOR – Dr. Meilan Han, a pulmonary disease and internal medicine specialist at the University of Michigan, is teaming up with the American Lung Association for a new influenza prevention campaign called MyShot.
It is aimed at adults age 50-plus since they are the most at risk from the dangers of the virus.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 80,000 people died in the U.S. last winter of the flu and its complications.
Around 70 percent of adults between ages 50 and 64 have at least one chronic illness, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes. When these chronic conditions are combined with the flu, they can cause serious illness, like pneumonia which can lead to hospitalization and possibly be fatal.
In addition, studies have found that following a flu infection, there is an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.
Despite these facts, vaccination rates for this age group remain below the recommended level.
In order to spread the word, Han is partnering with JoJo O'Neal, a 53-year-old radio personality who contracted the flu last year.
O'Neal, who has asthma, took more than 10 days to recover and passed the virus onto members of her family.
She joined the campaign to encourage others age 50-plus to make an annual vaccine a priority.
Learn more by visiting getmyshot.org.
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