FACES OF INFLUENZA ® - American Lung Association's Influenza Prevention Program in Collaboration with sanofi pasteur
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Chronic Illness
Don't Let Influenza Complicate Your Illness
Influenza can make existing medical conditions much worse. If you have a chronic medical condition such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, or heart disease, influenza could cause you serious complications – and sometimes even death.1
Getting a flu shot every year can lower those risks. An analysis by the American Lung Association found that if 100% of people with asthma were immunized, up to 136,000 hospitalizations could be prevented each year.5
If you or someone you know has one of the following conditions, influenza vaccination is especially important because these groups are at higher risk of complications associated with the disease:1
- Asthma
- COPD
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
- Kidney disease
- Metabolic diseases, such as diabetes
- Anemia and other blood disorders
- Weakened immune system
It also is important for caregivers and household contacts of the chronically ill to get a flu shot every year. These include parents, grandparents, siblings, babysitters, and child-care providers.1
Did you know?Portrait Gallery
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Nancy Cox, PhD
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nancy Cox, PhD, always knew that she wanted to pursue a career in science and medicine, but she never dreamed that one day she would be the Chief of the Influenza Division at the CDC. In this role, she helps make a difference in this country’s fight against seasonal influenza, which, combined with pneumonia, is the nation’s eighth leading cause of death.8
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Rebecca and Nicolaas Wooters
Mother and Her Son With Asthma
Rebecca Wooters doesn’t take chances when it comes to influenza and takes protecting her family’s well-being seriously. To help protect Nicolaas and the rest of her household each year, she makes vaccination a “family affair” and ensures all of her loved ones get their flu shot.
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Brandon Williams and Dimitri Aston
Brothers Living With Asthma
Brandon and Dimitri have asthma. Their mother, Lakisha, knows the flu can worsen symptoms of asthma like wheezing, and can make breathing even more difficult.12-14 That’s why she makes sure her family is vaccinated each and every year.
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Lylan Bui
Daughter of Tri and Trinh Bui
When Lylan reached 6 months of age, her mother, Trinh, made sure she was immunized against influenza because she knows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older.1
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Heidi Kinsella
Wife, Mother of 3, and School Teacher
Being in close contact with so many children every day, Heidi knows that germs and viruses can spread easily among kids and even to their friends, families, and others. That’s why she makes getting vaccinated against influenza a priority for herself and her family every year.
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Mario Linares
Adult Living With Type 2 Diabetes
Mario Linares has type 2 diabetes, a chronic medical condition that increases his risk for serious influenza-related complications, such as heart disease, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage. Health officials strongly recommend that all people with chronic medical conditions be immunized against influenza annually.1
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION
The mission of the American Lung Association is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.