Flu Shots Help Asthma Sufferers Breathe Easier
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Sven Hoppe/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — With that time of year having rolled around again, federal health officials strongly advise asthma sufferers to get a flu shot.
According to findings in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu aggravates asthma symptoms by triggering attacks, which can lead to pneumonia or other serious complications.
Asthma sufferers appear to be getting the message since the report says that half of them were vaccinated for the flu during the 2010-11 season, compared to 36 percent from five years earlier.
However, the CDC has a long way to go before achieving its 2020 coverage goals, which include 80 percent of Americans six months old to 17 years old, and nine out of ten adults, with asthma.
Currently, most elevated reports of the flu are contained within the Southeast and South Central regions of the U.S., with minimal activity elsewhere.
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