The seasonal flu affects millions of people annually in the United States and worldwide, and the flu vaccine is the most effective intervention at our disposal in order to reduce the severity of cases. The flu vaccine can even prevent death for those who have underlying health conditions, are elderly, or are high-risk.
In the last 140 years there have been 5 flu epidemics, with the 1918 epidemic being the most severe. The Spanish flu was from 1918-1920 and was the cause of death for 50 – 100 million people. The Asian flu epidemic was from 1957 – 1958 and originated in China, killing 1 – 4 million people. The Hong Kong flu was from 1968-1969 killing 1 – 4 million people. The Russian flu was a relatively mild flu epidemic from 1977-1979 that killed 700,000 people. Finally, the H1N1/09 flu epidemic was from 2009-2010 and killed about 200,000 people.
The CDC has reported that though the flu vaccination rate has been increasing over time, it still stays below the target level. “Lower rates of vaccination have been reported among Black and Hispanic individuals compared to White individuals”, and these racial disparities in vaccines are much more concentrated among adults (KFF). During covid, it is especially important to receive the flu vaccine in order to avoid dual epidemics and reduce the stream of patients into private medical practices, urgent cares, and hospitals during such a pressing time.
This poster from the Department of Health which details why it’s important to get the flu shot. The CDC has reported that though the flu vaccination rate has been increasing over time, it still stays below the target level. Lower rates of vaccination have been reported among Black and Hispanic individuals compared to White individuals, and these racial disparities in vaccines are much more concentrated among adults. BIPOC communities have reported a lack of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public, and are therefore much less likely to receive the vaccine, even if offered it by their healthcare providers. Research shows that African American adults display distrust in the vaccine and are concerned about the side effects, and they cite these as reasons why they remain unvaccinated. An article from the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) states that “universal and widespread vaccination is essential to conferring community protection”, however population immunity in these communities is harder to reach with low vaccination rates, and therefore it’s important that outreach, education, and communication strategies are improved towards BIPOC communities. It is the responsibility of the Public Health to work with these communities to improve their trust in the medical system, improve their access to vaccines, help them overcome barriers due to cost, and much more.
An article written by Andrea King Collier for the Black Women’s Health Imperative titled “What Black Women Should Know About Vaccines” discusses the importance of prioritizing getting vaccines, especially for Black women. The article includes quotations from Tyeese Gaines, a board certified emergency room and urgent care physician in New Jersey and New York. According to the article, in regards to all vaccines, “Black women often refuse [to get vaccinated] because [of] lack of information or trust in the medical system and concerns about the vaccines themselves” (Healthline). In regards to the flu shot, Gaines says that adults require a flu shot before the flu season begins in order to give the immune system time to build up its strength. The article mentions that the percentile of Black adults is behind the percentage of White adults who received the vaccine during the 2018-2019 season, and discusses how this disparity is linked to “more severe illness and higher rates of death due to the flu in Black communities” (Healthline). Studies have shown that people from these communities are more likely to be hospitalized than white people. Additionally, they may also be at a higher risk for developing more severe symptoms. Additionally, Linda Goler Blount, president and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, discusses how Black women have major distrust in the system, are sometimes uninsured or underinsured and cannot cover the cost of a well-visit or the shots, and they are also less likely to be offered the vaccine during their well-visits. Population immunity in these communities is therefore harder to reach, and it’s important that outreach, education, and communication strategies are improved towards BIPOC communities.
The main takeaway from this chapter is that education is absolutely necessary in order to obtain herd immunity and to ensure the the population is fully vaccinated. There can be enough vaccines for everyone, however people still have free will and can deny the vaccine. Therefore, education about this topic is needed in order to maintain and protect public health. The education should be extended towards the COVID-19 vaccine as well to keep the population safe and healthy.
Please note that the research for this project was conducted during March/April 2021 and was published in May 2021.
Previous – Chapter 1: The Smallpox Vaccine Ι Next – Chapter 3: COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
About the Contributor
Hadassah Krigsman contributed to the Disparities in Flu Vaccine chapter. She plans to major in Mathematics, specifically Applied Mathematics. In her free time, she enjoys photography.
