Do your patients know they can still get a flu shot?
Every year in December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promote National Influenza Vaccination Week, a national awareness week focused on highlighting the importance of the influenza vaccination.
National Influenza Vaccination Week takes place Dec. 3-9, 2017.
Historically, flu vaccination rates taper off after Thanksgiving. But National Influenza Vaccination Week is designed to counter this trend. Flu shots can still protect your patients even if they don’t get vaccinated until late in the season.
This year, keep your pharmacy’s flu shot services going throughout the winter to provide your patients with maximum protection against the flu.
As of November 2016, the CDC estimated that 24 percent of adults and almost 4 percent of children received their flu shot at a pharmacy.
Take advantage of National Influenza Vaccination Week in your pharmacy to promote your flu shot services.
Get on the map
Register your pharmacy with services that help consumers find vaccination sites near them, like the HealthMap Vaccine Finder. (Register your pharmacy here.)
The HealthMap Vaccine Finder makes it easy for consumers looking for flu shots to find your pharmacy. Consumers simply enter their zip code to find locations near them.
Information displayed includes:
- Address
- Contact information
- Hours
- Location
- Types of vaccines offered
Make flu shots accessible
Consider doing something extra during National Influenza Vaccination Week to make sure all your patients have the opportunity to get vaccinated.
Ideas to help patients get vaccinated:
- Stay open late during National Influenza Vaccination Week to offer flu shots
- Participate in workplace flu clinics
- Remind patients coming in to pick up prescriptions that you can give them a flu shot right then
Promote your flu shot services
You don’t need to spend a fortune to promote your flu shot services. You can promote National Influenza Vaccination Week for free.
For example, post signs in your local public library, community center and restaurant community boards. Advertising these messages will remind people that they can still get vaccinated and that your pharmacy can help.
Or, use these 25 free resources from the CDC to promote flu prevention. Download and print flyers, posters, fact sheets, Spanish-language materials and more.
Share on social media
Post about your vaccination services on your pharmacy’s Facebook and Twitter accounts using the hashtag #VaxWithMe. When you use that hashtag, you can connect your pharmacy with the national movement promoting flu vaccines.
Let your patients know about your National Influenza Vaccination Week celebrations. And, invite them to join in. They even can upload their own #VaxWithMe selfies.
Download the toolkit
The CDC offers health providers a toolkit of materials to help them promote National Influenza Vaccination Week
Materials in the toolkit include:
- Images
- Print materials
- Sample newsletter messages
- Sample social media messages
- Web tools
Participate in the Twitter chat
The CDC will host a chat on Twitter to address flu prevention on Monday, Dec. 4 at 1 p.m. EST.
Join in the conversation to help spread the message and promote your pharmacy. Use the hashtag #FightFluChat.
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) (@NFIDVaccines); Wendy Sue Swanson, M.D., MBE of Seattle Children’s (@SeattleMamaDoc); and the CDC (@CDCFlu) will host this year’s chat.
By partnering with the CDC and National Influenza Vaccination Week, you can help your patients stay healthy this flu season. And, you can keep them coming to your pharmacy for all of their health and wellness needs.
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