Lack of education about killer virus is still epidemic
10th December 2008: One of the world’s largest health sites, www.ehealthforum.com just completed its annual survey about attitudes to the flu virus. The results clearly show that underlying - yet vital - messages are still not getting through. Over half the people surveyed (58.57%) were not planning to get the flu vaccine at all and almost 16 percent (15.96%) of the sample were unclear if the jab is recommended for them or when to get inoculated.
Only a quarter (25.46%) of people surveyed were planning to get the vaccine in the next few weeks or months. However, for many this could still be too late.
Flu is highly infections and spreads fast. It can be caught through the coughs and sneezes of infected people. High risk categories, such as the elderly or those with lowered immune systems, are under greater threat. For these groups the flu virus can increase the risk of more serious illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia. In extreme cases, flu can result in hospitalisation and even death.
The flu isn’t just about you: Protect everyone around you as well by getting the flu vaccine
Flu will infect anyone that it touches, making it potentially a very dangerous virus. Seemingly healthy people can pass it on to more vulnerable people during incubation - and it is this message that people seem to be missing.
Lee Weber, community director at eHealthForum said about the poll: “People are still only thinking about the catching the flu personally. What they should be thinking about is protecting the many others around them such as; family, shop keepers, work colleagues and friends, should they get struck down. By vaccinating ourselves we’re playing a key role in helping to stop the virus quickly spreading to epidemic proportions.”
Who, why and when should you have the vaccine?
The viruses that cause flu change ever year. Therefore, if you are a high risk group it is even more important to get vaccinated against new strains annually. One of the most common mistakes is that people wait for an epidemic or assume that they don’t need another jab because they had one last year.
You should have the jab as a matter of course if you are over 65 years of age. It is also safe to have the vaccine if you are pregnant.
ends
About the poll
The survey was conducted in the US and UK between September 29 and December 9, 2008.
1500 respondents took part
About eHealthForum.com
eHealthForum was established five years ago to help preserve and improve human life by bringing health-related information to all people via the internet. The online community connects people of all national, religious and cultural backgrounds who want to reach out about their medical concerns. The site’s forums provide a place for people to express themselves and connect with others dealing with medical issues. It is a sanctuary of comfort, understanding and information.
eHealthForum is a top 10,000 health reference site that reaches over 1,100,000 users in the U.S., 150,000 users in the U.K. and 115,000 users in Canada. Typical visitors to eHealthForum are aged 18-45 and over 70 percent are female. Men make up 30 percent of the site’s average visitors.
More information
For further information please contact: PR@ehealthforum.com
