2020 National Influenza Vaccination Week
Health and Wellness
It's not too late to get your flu vaccination!
While the US remains focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, we also need to also be aware of flu season as winter approaches. Flu viruses typically spread in fall and winter, with activity peaking between December and February. National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) - December 6-12, 2020 - is a great opportunity to encourage all WIC participants 6 months and older, and staff, to get their flu vaccine.
The flu can cause mild to severe illness, but can also cause complications, some of which can be life threatening. Getting the flu vaccine is the most important step to protect against the flu especially for:
- Pregnant women and their developing babies
- Children younger than 5 years of age
- American Indian and Alaskan Native children
DYK? - Women with influenza are more than twice as likely to be hospitalized if they are pregnant.
Test your Flu IQ with this interactive quiz.
Educate
Resources to help educate participants on flu and the flu vaccine include:
- The difference between the Flu and COVID-19
- The difference between the Flu and a cold
- FAQs on the 2020-2021 flu season, which includes focused questions on COVID
- Who Should and Should NOT get a Flu Vaccine, also available as a handout
- Safety information about the flu vaccine, including a Q&A and information specific to getting the flu shot during pregnancy
- A resource center with communication and education materials for participants who may be hesitant to get a flu vaccine
- Good Habits to Prevent the Flu, also available in in Spanish
- Flu Information for Parents with Young Children, a resource page also available in Spanish with a fact sheet, video and other materials
In addition to other flu resources on WIC Works, you can also find related resources, such as:
- Vaccines 101 - Information for WIC Staff
- Immunizations for Parents and Parents-to-be booklets, in Spanish and English, to help answer questions about and address the importance of vaccines
- Immunization Schedule for Children: Birth through 6 Years
- Information on Measles
Promote
In addition to CDC infographics, videos, and podcasts, those with a digital presence can use buttons and badges on their websites, and those with social media can:
- Encourage followers to roll their #SleeveUp to fight the flu with a social media toolkit that offers customizable graphics for you to add your picture, sample messages and graphics.
- Share information relevant to your participants with sample messages and graphics for the flu and pregnant women and how the flu vaccine protects children.
- Use the 2020 NIVW Digital Media Toolkit (for NIVW-specific resources) or the 2020-21 Flu Season Digital Media Toolkit, both of which offer animated images, web tools (like the flu vaccine finder widget below), printable materials and more in English and Spanish versions.
Assist
Help your participants find flu vaccines and pharmacies in their area, and share Flu & Pregnancy and Flu & Breastfeeding resources that cover medication safety for these populations. All participants should be encouraged to talk to their healthcare provider about medications they are or want to take.