According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent the flu -- which is a contagious respiratory illness that can have mild to severe symptoms in the nose, throat and lungs -- is by getting vaccinated each year. Flu season begins in the fall and can run through May, so the CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October which lasts the entire season.
Stony Brook University is urging students, faculty, staff and the community to stay proactive and get vaccinated against the flu. As a distinguished biomedical researcher and infectious disease specialist, the President of Stony Brook University, Dr. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr. has spent many years studying the biological mechanisms that cells employ when responding to infectious agents such as parasites, bacteria and viruses. Dr. Stanley gets a flu shot annually, and is raising awareness about the importance of getting a flu vaccine on campus and beyond.
鈥淓very year about 40 million people in the United States get the flu,鈥� said Dr. Stanley in a new public service . 鈥淎bout 19-million people will have to see a doctor. Many millions of people will miss work, and a lot of students miss classes.鈥�
The influenza virus is extremely unpredictable. Its severity can vary widely from one season to the next depending on many things, including the strains of flu that are spreading, availability of vaccines, how many people get vaccinated and how well the flu vaccine is matched to the flu viruses circulating each season.
鈥淓very year I get my flu shot. It鈥檚 the best way to prevent influenza and really it鈥檚 safe and effective,鈥� said Dr. Stanley.
Last week the Stony Brook Medicine Hospital Emergency Management Team vaccinated almost 1,700 employees and students during a 12-hour event and the Stony Brook University Hospital Employee Health program is offering free flu shots to all employees and students with hospital access Oct. 17-19 from 7 am through 7 pm.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 flu season is just beginning 鈥� New York has seen only a few reported cases so far 鈥� which means it鈥檚 the ideal time to get vaccinated,鈥� said , Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital.
The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. Vaccines are available and can reduce flu illnesses and prevent flu-related hospitalizations. Flu vaccines have been updated for the 2016-2017 season.
鈥淰accination is one of the best ways to add protection against many diseases, including influenza,鈥� says , Medical Director, Healthcare Epidemiology Department, Stony Brook University Hospital. 鈥淓ven if you do get the flu, if you have been vaccinated, it may make the actual disease milder and better tolerated.鈥�
Dr. Donelan says that although the nasal flu vaccine was convenient, due to concerns from the CDC over decreased efficacy, it is not being offered this year.
Other ways to prevent the flu?- Avoiding those who are ill- Covering mouths when coughing or sneezing- Washing hands frequently and thoroughly- Staying home from work if sick- Keeping children out of school and after-school activities if they are sickThe easiest protection tip? Get everyone in the family vaccinated.
鈥淕etting vaccinated helps to protect against the flu but also helps to protect those who cannot be vaccinated,鈥� says Dr. Hymes. 鈥淎ll parents should be vaccinated to help protect their children. The flu vaccine is effective and safe, and it is not too late to get it!鈥�
For more information on influenza and about Stony Brook University's proactive response to the influenza virus please visit:
About Stony Brook Medicine:Stony Brook Medicine integrates and elevates all of Stony Brook University鈥檚 health-related initiatives: education, research and patient care. It includes six Health Sciences schools 鈥� Dental Medicine, Health Technology and Management, Medicine, Nursing, Social Welfare, and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 鈥� as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Children鈥檚 Hospital and more than 90 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County. To learn more, visit .
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