August is National Immunization Awareness Month, making this a great opportunity to remind your patients to get their appropriate vaccines.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), thousands of American adults get sick each year from diseases that vaccines can prevent. For patients with asthma or COPD, vaccines are an important step in protecting their health from serious diseases like influenza and pneumonia.
In fact, the CDC reports that chronic lung disease was one of the most commonly reported underlying medical conditions among adults who were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza during the 2016-2017 flu season. Less than half of adults under age 65 with asthma and COPD get the vaccines they need to protect against influenza and pneumococcal disease.
Through National Immunization Awareness Month, the CDC is teaming with other agencies, such as the AARC, to help promote and educate patients on the importance of vaccinations. The CDC even prepared an online tool to help individuals know what vaccines they may need: The Adult Vaccine Quiz.
Resources from the CDC
- Vaccine Information for Adults With Lung Disease Including Asthma
- Adults With Chronic Conditions: Get Vaccinated
- Asthma and Flu Shots
Email newsroom@aarc.org with questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you.
