Cincinnati Children’s, First Ladies campaign to fight flu
Cincinnati Children’s is hoping to protect more children and families in the Greater Cincinnati area from getting the flu this season. Hospital staff will administer free flu vaccines to community members at the First Ladies Annual Health Day, on Sunday, October 8, beginning at 10 am.
The event will take place at 11 churches and six recreation centers and will offer health-screening and education opportunities from a variety of local health organizations. Target locations are in high-risk, economically depressed neighborhoods with challenging health outcomes. This is the third consecutive year that Cincinnati Children’s has partnered with the First Ladies Health Initiative – a grass-roots organization made up of pastors’ wives dedicated to heightening awareness of health disparities with a focus on prevention.
Cincinnati Children’s “Be a Flu Fighter” campaign aligns with the 2020 Strategic Plan goal to help Cincinnati kids be the healthiest in the nation through strong community partnerships.
The campaign is broken into three phases:
- Phase 1 – Church visits on several Sundays in August and September to share the benefits of getting a flu shot with the congregation and promote Health Day, where anyone can get a flu shot at no charge (child or adult). Volunteers are welcome.
- Phase 2 – Sunday, October 1, is “Walk the Talk.” The First Lady of the church or her designee will receive the flu shot to demonstrate how simple and easy it is and encourage others to get it.
- Phase 3 – Sunday, October 8, is First Ladies Health Day. Churches and select recreation centers will be open and ready to offer the vaccine, as well as other screenings.
Last year only 35 percent of parents reported their child having had a flu shot in the previous 12 months, compared to 85 percent who reported their child having had a medical checkup during that same time period. So, while parents are getting checkups for their children, many are not asking that their children receive the flu shot.
The Cincinnati Health Department reports a declining number of students who get the vaccine. In 2014, the number was 6,200. In 2015, it dropped to 4,600 children and in 2016, it dropped even further to 3,823.
The goal of the “Be a Flu Fighter” campaign is to increase flu shots by at least 50 percent over last year’s rate.
