Practice Tip of the Week | The Race to 200M Flu Shots

By Kanaka Sathasivan, MPH

In conjunction with American Nurses Association and Sanofi Pasteur, we are encouraging all nurses this year to get your flu shot and encourage your patients to get theirs. This national, multichannel campaign is the Race to 200M. From ANA: “For those who are most at risk for flu and its complications – Americans 50 years of age or older, as well as people living with chronic diseases, such as heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes – no less than 200 million Americans should be getting the flu vaccine each year.”

As we face an extended crisis with COVID-19, and nurses continue to report a shortage in personal protective equipment that will be exacerbated by the coming flu season, we are urging prevention as early as possible. Reports from members of TNA’s COVID-19 Task Force indicate nurses are already seeing cases of the flu in their communities. We urge you to incorporate flu messaging into your practice, share our messages on social media and help us get to 200 million flu shots nationwide!

How Americans View Flu Shots

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fewer than half of all adults get their flu shot each year. During the 2018-2019 flu season in Texas, 61.8 percent of children and 43.2 percent of adults got their flu shots, well below national averages for those populations. A recent national poll showed that only two-thirds of parents intend to vaccinate their child. Only one-third of parents said getting a flu vaccine was more important this year, with 8 percent saying it is less important.

Crucially, around “one-third of parents do not recall a provider recommending their child get a flu vaccine this year.” Among those who are not vaccinating their children, common reasons include side effects, that the vaccine is not necessary and that the vaccine is not effective. This poll demonstrates the value nurses can have in recommending the vaccine and debunking myths.

Another challenge is that many people who are taking precautions against COVID-19 may view these precautions as enough protection against the flu and not worth the risk of going to see a health care provider. Nurses should approach this topic with honesty. While behaviors like wearing masks and washing hands frequently can prevent many respiratory viruses from causing infection, they are still not foolproof. Neither is the flu shot, depending on the strain. However, just like using a seatbelt even though cars have airbags, using both strategies together is the best way to stay healthy.

Messaging for the 2020-2021 Flu Season

The more people that get vaccinated, the more we can prevent the flu from creating an additional burden on the health care system. While both COVID-19 and the flu are contagious respiratory illnesses caused by a virus, we have a vaccine for only one of them so far. Even if a COVID-19 vaccine is produced in the next few months, it likely won’t be able to be distributed to everyone at once. This means that many people are quickly entering flu season already at risk of COVID-19.

Someone could likely end up with flu and COVID-19 at the same time. While research on dual infections is limited, infectious disease specialists and clinicians nationwide are concerned that getting both illnesses together could increase morbidity and mortality beyond just the effects of one illness.

Frontline workers and hospitals in your region are depending on you to get your flu shot. Getting the vaccine can help keep you and your loved ones out of the medical setting, help conserve resources for COVID-19 patients and help protect health care workers as they work to protect their communities.

What nurses can do

First, start within your own practice or place of employment. In general, flu shot coverage among health care workers is highest among doctors, nurses and pharmacists, but lower among assistants and aids, and non-clinical personnel. Many health care insurers offer flu shots at no cost. Talk to your workplace about setting up a flu shot clinic or even just sending information on vaccines to all employees. Mention when you get your flu shot and normalize the idea that flu shots can prevent serious illness. Debunk myths among your coworkers.

Next, see how you can incorporate flu shot information into each patient visit. Offer flu shots on the spot to patients who initially come in with other complaints or come in for a well person visit. For telehealth visits, ask your patient to check with their pharmacy on record if flu shots are offered at that location. Pay close attention to people older than 50, caregivers or family members of older adults and people with chronic conditions. The Texas RX Card covers flu shots for the uninsured, and it can be found on our Member Benefits page.

Third, target your friends and family through social media, when you speak with them or when you have a major opportunity. Ideas include:

• A “show me your Band-Aid” campaign on social media
• A race to see which family can get their shots first (with a prize for the last-place family, too)
• A request for birthday (or baby shower or graduation) flu shots where your friends and family get vaccinated in lieu of sending presents

If you have a story about flu vaccines you’d like to share, let us know! To get involved with the campaign, contact Holly Carpenter.

Resources:

Race to 200 Million Flu Shots

Practice Tip of the Week | Conversations that Work: National Immunization Awareness Month