Are You at Risk?

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Are You at Risk?

The Many “Faces” of Influenza

We all know someone who should receive the influenza vaccine, commonly called the flu shot, this and every year. Chances are, you or someone in your family are one of the over 250 million — that's 4 out of 5 — Americans who health-care officials recommend get a flu shot each year.^1-3 These “faces” of influenza include parents and children, working adults, people 50 and over, and those with chronic illness.

Getting a flu shot every year is the best way to protect yourself and your family. Influenza vaccination is safe and effective. The American Lung Association urges you and your loved ones to get vaccinated every influenza season. Vaccination typically begins in the fall and can continue through the spring. In many seasons, the flu doesn’t peak until late winter, in February or March, but you should try to get the influenza vaccine as soon as possible. Talk to your health-care provider for more information about the importance of influenza immunization.¹

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an annual influenza vaccination for the following groups:^1,4

Anyone who wants to prevent influenza
Children 6 months-18 years of age
Adults 50 years of age and older
Women who are pregnant during the influenza season
Adults and children with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, weakened immune system, diabetes, and others
Residents of long-term care facilities and nursing homes
Household contacts and caregivers of anyone in a high-risk group, including children younger than 6 months of age who are too young to be vaccinated. These contacts include:
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Siblings
- Babysitters
- Day care providers
Health-care personnel who come in contact with patients

Note: Children under 9 years of age may need 2 doses approximately 1 month apart, depending on their influenza vaccination history.¹

Some people should not get the influenza vaccine or should first talk with their health-care provider. These include:¹

People with severe allergies to eggs
People who have had a severe allergic reaction to a past influenza vaccination
Children younger than 6 months of age

Did you know?

Portrait Gallery

Joy Behar

Comedian, Co-host of "The View," and Mother

On the hit daytime show "The View," co-host Joy Behar is "the funny one," the comedian and co-host who spins a humorous web around the day’s topics. When it comes to influenza, however, the jokes stop.
Dean Cain

Actor, Father, and Asthmatic

Actor Dean Cain has asthma. While he may have been a great football player and appeared as Superman on the popular television series "Lois and Clark," he knows he’s no real-life superhero. He fears getting the flu.
Jessica Polakow

Mother-to-Be

When she posed for this portrait, Jessica Polakow was about to become a mother for the very first time. She made sure she was vaccinated against influenza because she knew pregnant women are more likely to be hospitalized from complications of influenza than non-pregnant women of the same age.^1,2
Barbara Wheeler

Retired Nurse Practitioner

After losing her mother to influenza-related complications, Barbara Wheeler strengthened her commitment to protecting her patients’ health through influenza prevention.
Mario Linares

Older Adult Living with Type 2 Diabetes

Mario Linares is over 60 years of age and has type 2 diabetes: a chronic medical condition that increases his risk for many serious complications, such as heart disease, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage.
Hugo Alvarez, MD

American Lung Association of Illinois, Greater Chicago

Hugo Alvarez, MD, knows all too well the dangers influenza and its related complications can cause for people with asthma — even more so when families are not educated on the dangers of influenza and the need to get vaccinated.
Tyra Bryant-Stephens, MD

Director, Community Asthma Prevention Program, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

As founder of the Community Asthma Prevention Program at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens knows how dangerous the flu can be to children with asthma and other respiratory problems.
Sue Rahr

Sheriff and Mother

King County Sheriff Sue Rahr’s niece Elaine has cystic fibrosis—a life-threatening lung disorder that causes severe lung damage.¹³
LaShell Griffin

Singer and Mother of Five

Singing since she was 13, LaShell Griffin’s life has changed significantly after beating out 15,000 contestants and winning the "Oprah Winfrey Pop Star Challenge" in 2004. Yet, her main focus is her role as a wife and mother of five children.
Kristi Yamaguchi

National Spokesperson

Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi takes her career as a figure skater seriously. Yet, since her victories, on "Dancing with the Stars," and experience as an American role model, she has taken on an even more serious role in life—her family.
Christina Fry, Rick Cerett, Chalise Jackson

Family of Infant Marques Jackson, Who Died at 6 Months of Age From Influenza-related Complications

When infant Marques Jackson passed away from influenza-related complications, his mother Christina Fry and grandfather Rick Cerett became crusaders for yearly vaccination for parents, children, and caretakers.
Sheryl Swoopes

Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Basketball Star, and Mother

Legendary women’s basketball player Sheryl Swoopes gets vaccinated against the flu every year to help protect herself as well as her son, Jordan, who lives with asthma.
Cindy Marek

Cancer Survivor

Cindy Marek can happily say she has beaten cancer and passed her five-year mark without recurrence. Influenza vaccination is recommended for people with cancer, like Cindy, whose immune systems are weakened by the disease or by cancer treatment.^1,2
Vonetta Flowers

Olympic Gold Medalist and Mother

Olympic Gold Medalist Vonetta Flowers was almost sidelined by the flu during her days as a college athlete, but she persevered from this illness and went on to become the first-ever black athlete from any nation to win a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Richard and Alissa Kanowitz

Parents of Amanda Kanowitz, Who Died From Influenza-related Complications at Age 4

When Richard and Alissa Kanowitz lost their daughter Amanda to influenza-related complications in 2004, they decided to do everything they could to save other families from enduring similar heartbreak.
Jean Miller

Over 65, Retiree with Active Lifestyle

Jean Miller is over 65 years of age. In fact, she’s way over 65. Jean gets immunized against the flu every year because she knows at her age, influenza can be life threatening.
Ray and Stella Ross

Husband with COPD and His Wife, Household Contact

Ray Ross is over 75 years of age and has emphysema, a progressive chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As a result of his emphysema, Ray is at increased risk of developing complications from the flu.
Mike Quick

Pro-football Player, Announcer, Son, and Father

At the age of 32, five-time Pro Bowler and former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Mike Quick was tackled by the flu. The virus hit him so hard that he was hospitalized for three days.
Dr. Joyce Brothers

Long-time Family Psychologist and Advice Columnist

Dr. Brothers firmly believes that flu shots are critical for families, because they help keep parents at work and kids at school.
Brandon Williams and Dmitri Aston

Brothers Living with Asthma

Brandon and Dmitri have asthma. Their mother Lakisha knows the flu can worsen symptoms of asthma like wheezing, and make breathing even more difficult.^14-16 That’s why she makes sure her family is vaccinated each and every year.
Lourdes “Lori” Diaz

Clinical Nurse Supervisor

Lourdes Diaz knows the importance of being immunized against the flu – she’s worked in health-care for over 15 years. She got influenza during a busy year when she did not have time to get a flu shot and lost nearly a week’s work – and pay.
Lylan Bui

Daughter of Tri and Trinh Bui

When Lylan reached 6 months of age, her mother Trinh made sure Lylan was immunized against influenza because she knows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual influenza vaccination for children 6 months-18 years of age.^1,2
Brett Colavolpe

College Student Living with Type 1 Diabetes

Brett Colavolpe, who has type 1 diabetes, makes annual influenza immunization a priority because he knows those with high-risk conditions, such as diabetes, can be even more severely affected by this often devastating disease.^1,2
Diane and Mike McGowan

Parents of Martin McGowan Who Died of Influenza-related Complications at 15 Years of Age

Diane and Michael McGowan's healthy 15-year-old son Martin died from complications as a result of the flu in 2005. "One flu shot could have saved his life," says Diane.
Bob Khan

Fire Chief, City of Phoenix Fire Department

Fire Chief Bob knows that, healthy or not, the flu and its complications can stop him and his crew of 2000 firefighters in their tracks.