Public Health Iinitiative Urges Families “Let’s Fight Flu Together!” Through PTA Vaccination Clinics Being Held Nationwide To help support this years Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) influenza vaccination efforts, PTA (Parent Teachers Association) has teamed up with Flu Busters, an on-site vaccinations provider, and Novartis Vaccines to launch the “Lets Fight Flu Together!” initiative. Through this exclusive public health initiative, students, their families, teachers and members of the community can visit a local participating PTA school or community site to get vaccinated against influenza. In addition, for each influenza vaccination administered through the “Lets Fight Flu Together” initiative, a donation will be made to PTA to support local students and schools. Many people think influenza, or “the flu,” is just a bad cold. However, influenza can be a serious and potentially deadly virus.5 On average each year, students miss approximately 38 million school days due to this disease, and parents miss more than 10 million work days caring for these sick youngsters. Moreover, during the last influenza season, 83 children were reported who died from influenza-related causes. In 2006, only 20 percent of the school age children recommended to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza actually received the vaccine. Byron Garrett, Chief Executive Officer, National PTA Richard Kanowitz, President, Families Fighting Flu, a non-profit organization made up of families who have experienced first-hand the death of a child due to influenza For more information, please visit www.pta.org/flushotclinics
