08/22/2025
We just got the email saying we can order our flu vaccines this week! We hope to start vaccinating by mid September and are already planning our school flu clinics! Stay tuned for .more sign up info?
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It hurts our heads (and hearts) when we hear people dismiss the flu as "no big deal." The truth? This "no big deal" virus killed an estimated 27,000 Americans last season alone—and that's using the lower end of CDC estimates, which range from 27,000 to 130,000 deaths. Among those deaths were 270 children, marking the highest pediatric death toll in a non-pandemic flu season since tracking began in 2004. These aren't outlier statistics either; tens of thousands of deaths occur every single flu season.
The burden on our healthcare system is staggering. At the peak of flu season, 1 in 12 people walking into emergency rooms had the flu. For young children, that number jumped to 1 in 6. These aren't just statistics—they represent real people experiencing high fevers, body aches, respiratory distress, and potentially life-threatening complications. Behind each number is a family dealing with serious illness, missed work and school, medical bills, and in the worst cases, unimaginable loss.
This is why getting an annual flu shot is so important. While the vaccine isn't perfect—its effectiveness varies from year to year depending on how well it matches circulating strains—it remains our best defense against influenza. Even when the match isn't ideal, vaccination typically lessens the severity of illness and reduces the duration of symptoms if you do contract the flu. Studies consistently show that vaccinated individuals who get sick experience milder symptoms and are less likely to require hospitalization or develop serious complications. Getting vaccinated also helps protect vulnerable members of our community who may not be able to get vaccinated themselves or whose immune systems don't respond well to vaccines.
The flu isn't "just" anything—it's a serious disease that deserves our respect and our action. Getting your annual flu shot is a simple step that can make a profound difference for yourself, your loved ones, and your community.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-burden/php/data-vis/2024-2025.html
https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-17.html
https://www.nfid.org/infectious-disease/flu/
