Report by Paula Antolini
September 21, 2018 9:42AM EDT
Annual Halloween-Themed ‘Say Boo! to the Flu’ Campaign, in Bethel Oct. 3rd
Since 2005, VNAA has partnered with the Clorox Company to run the annual Halloween-themed Say “Boo!” to the Flu Campaign.
Increasing flu shot coverage and awareness is an increasingly important priority for home health and hospice agencies. Annually the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluate home health agencies for their effectiveness assuring that Medicare home health patients have had a flu shot for the current season, and they include a measure of flu shot coverage in Home Health Star Ratings. Additionally, agency performance on flu shot coverage is an important quality metric in value-based purchasing arrangements under Medicare.
WHAT: Annual Halloween-Themed ‘Say Boo! to the Flu’ Campaign / Host: Visiting Nurse Association of America / Get a flu vaccine, learn prevention tips, and receive free giveaways.
WHO: All community families, 6 months and older
WHEN: Wednesday, October 3 from 3pm to 7pm
WHERE: Berry School Gymnasium, Bethel, CT
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The best protection against seasonal flu is the flu vaccine. Other steps you can take in your daily life to protect you from getting the flu are to wash your hands often with soap & water or an alcohol-based hand rub, avoid touching your eyes, nose & mouth, avoid close contact with sick people, practice good health habits (plenty of sleep & exercise, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids & eat healthy food), cover your nose & mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw tissue in trash after you use it & stay home if you are sick with flu-like illness & for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine. Contact your doctor if you become ill with flu-like symptoms & take antiviral medications if prescribed.
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2018 Program Information
Fourteen home-based care providers nationwide will vaccinate nearly 17,000 children through affiliated events. These events provide an opportunity for members of the community to get their family vaccinated against the seasonal flu, and to learn simple tricks to prevent the spread of the virus. Agencies participating in the 2018 program include:
- Bethel VNA (Bethel, CT)
- Community Nursing Services (West Valley City, UT)
- Franciscan Immunizations (Indianapolis, IN)
- Porchlight VNA/Home Care (Lee, MA)
- Ridgefield VNA (Ridgefield, CT)
- Spectrum Health VNA (Grand Rapids, MI)
- VNA Care Network (Worcester, MA)
- VNA Community Services (Monterey, CA)
- VNA Health Care (Aurora, IL)
- VNA Home Health & Hospice (South Portland, ME)
- VNA of Johnson County (Iowa City, IA)
- VNA of Kansas City (Kansas City, MO)
- VNA of Greater St. Louis (Maryland Heights, MO)
- VNA of the Midlands (Omaha, NE)
Program Impact
From its inception in 2005 through the 2017 program, over 150,000 patients have been vaccinated at affiliated Say “Boo!” to the Flu clinics nationwide.
Visit the Say “Boo!” to the Flu website for more information.
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