PRESS RELEASE DETAIL

For release: IMMEDIATELY

Release Date: 09/24/2014

Mayor Holden, local hospitals urge EBR residents to ‘fight the flu’ with vaccine

Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden urged East Baton Rouge residents Wednesday to “fight the flu” by getting a flu shot this fall.

The Mayor noted that each year, approximately 36,000 people die and 226,000 are hospitalized in the U.S. because of the flu. In most cases, the deaths were preventable.

“Protecting yourself from the flu also protects the people around you, especially those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness like young children, the elderly, or people with chronic health conditions,” Mayor Holden said.

The Mayor noted that flu shots are readily available at many locations, including doctors’ offices, clinics, pharmacies, parish health units. Many large employers are choosing to be proactive by making flu shots available to their employees at work. The Mayor noted that the City-Parish will host the annual Employee Health Fair on Thursday, Sept. 25, with free screenings, including flu shots, for all City-Parish employees

“Every person who gets their flu shot reduces our risk as a community” the Mayor said.
Mayor Holden was joined at Wednesday’s press conference by representatives from several local hospitals, including Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge General Hospital, Woman’s Hospital, Ochsner Baton Rouge, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lane Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge Surgical Specialty Center and Baton Rouge Rehabilitation Hospital.

The participating hospitals are making a special effort this flu season to vaccinate all their employees against the flu. Health care workers who work for those hospitals and choose not to get a flu shot will be required to wear a surgical mask in patient care areas.

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