American Lung Association in Indiana, Local Community Leaders Tip Off 2010-2011 Influenza Season in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 12, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Indiana community leaders, Indiana

Pacers, Indiana State Department of Health and Asthma Alliance of Indianapolis
are partnering with the American Lung Association in Indiana on its Faces of
Influenza educational initiative to kick off the 2010-2011 influenza season in
Indianapolis.

In support of the campaign, these community leaders will participate in a news
briefing on Friday, November 12 to serve as a reminder to the entire
Indianapolis community that influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is
easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death.

WHEN: Friday, November 12
10:00 a.m.

Clarian Health Entry
WHERE: Pavilion
Conseco Fieldhouse
125 S. Pennsylvania
Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204

“We all are ‘faces’ of influenza and are at risk of contracting and spreading
the disease. It is the responsibility of every Indianapolis resident to talk to
their health care provider about vaccination,” said Lindsay Grace, Manager,
Mission Services and Advocacy, American Lung Association in Indiana. “Many
people are affected by influenza every year and don’t realize that getting
vaccinated is an easy way to protect their health, their family’s health and the
health of our community.”

Vaccination is safe and effective, and the best way to help prevent influenza
and its complications. This year, the seasonal influenza vaccine will include
the 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain, so only the seasonal influenza vaccine will be
needed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the support of
leading health experts, now recommends influenza vaccination for everyone 6
months of age and older. Each year in the U.S., influenza and its related
complications result in approximately 226,000 hospitalizations and thousands of
deaths.

Locally, up to 157,000 Indianapolis-area residents will suffer from influenza in
an average year, yet vaccination rates remain alarmingly low.

“Our entire organization is offered flu shots in order to stay healthy
throughout the coming months,” said Greg Schenkel, Vice President of Corporate,
Community & Public Relations for the Indiana Pacers. “Further, we are
encouraging the community to stay healthy by getting vaccinated at a ‘Flu Shot
Clinic’ in cooperation with Clarian Health at Conseco Fieldhouse on November
19.” On that date between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., flu shots will be available
in the Clarian Health Entry Pavilion of Conseco Fieldhouse for $25 per person,
and each person receiving a vaccination will be given two (2) free lower level
tickets to the Pacers-Cleveland game on November 23.

The American Lung Association’s Faces of Influenza campaign encourages local
residents to see themselves and their loved ones among the many “faces” of
influenza – people 6 months of age and older who should be immunized against
influenza this and every year.

Get Vaccinated Against Influenza

Mark Williams, MD, Pulmonary Disease Specialist, American Lung Association Board
Member, who is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of the Indianapolis
community, also joins these community leaders as the local “face” of influenza.
One year, Dr. Williams missed his office’s vaccination clinic due to a heavy
workload, and as a result he didn’t get a flu shot, and ended up contracting the
virus. Dr. Williams continues to urge the entire Indianapolis community,
including all his patents and fellow health care professionals, to get
immunized.

“I know first hand how serious the influenza virus can be, which is why I get
vaccinated every year, and encourage all my patients to do the same,” said Dr.
Williams. “I continue to urge the entire Indianapolis community to get
immunized.”

We All Are “Faces” of Influenza

The Faces of Influenza educational program, which includes expanded awareness
initiatives nationally and in many major cities, supports the CDC’s universal
influenza immunization recommendation to vaccinate everyone 6 months of age and
older.

Celebrities, health officials and everyday people have joined the Faces of
Influenza campaign, sharing personal stories about their experiences with the
disease and encouraging annual influenza vaccination.

The Lung Association is working with other families across the country who have
lost loved ones to influenza. These parents, as well as others involved in the
program, have joined the Faces of Influenza campaign to help prevent the
tragedies they experienced from happening to other families.

Faces of InfluenzaAwareness Activities

The Faces of Influenzainitiative also includes educational materials for the
public and health care providers, as well as the national distribution of
television and radio public service announcements. The Lung Association has
developed a Web site, www.facesofinfluenza.org, where the public and health care
providers can find more information about influenza and the importance of
immunization. Visitors to the site also can view the photographs and stories of
the featured “faces” of influenza.

About Influenza

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to
severe complications, even death, for you or someone with whom you come into
contact. Each year in the U.S., influenza and its related complications result
in approximately 226,000 hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. Vaccination
is safe and effective, and the best way to help prevent influenza and its
complications.

We all are “faces” of influenza and are at risk of contracting the virus. The
CDC, with the support of leading health experts, now recommends that everyone 6
months of age and older be immunized. Vaccination is important for everyone in
the U.S., however influenza immunization rates in the highest-risk groups fall
far short of public health goals every year. Groups at higher risk of influenza
infection or complications include: adults over 50 years of age; children 6
months-18 years of age; pregnant women; anyone with chronic health conditions,
such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and
diabetes; and residents of long-term care facilities. The CDC also recommends
annual immunization for caregivers and household contacts of these high-risk
groups, such as relatives and health care providers.

You should be immunized as soon as vaccine is available in the late summer or
early fall. If you didn’t have a chance to obtain influenza vaccine early in the
season, immunization throughout the season into the spring or as long as the
influenza virus is in circulation is beneficial because in most seasons,
influenza disease doesn’t peak until that time. It only takes about two weeks
for the vaccine to protect against the virus.

About the American Lung Association

Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading
organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung
disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is “Fighting
for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more information about
the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call
1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lungusa.org.

For More Information

For more information about the Faces of Influenza educational initiative, visit
www.facesofinfluenza.org. For information about the American Lung Association or
to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or log onto
www.lungusa.org. The American Lung Association’s Faces of Influenza educational
initiative is made possible through a collaboration with sanofi pasteur.

Contact: Reena Patel
919-720-4289
RPatel@cooneywaters.com

SOURCE American Lung Association in Indiana