JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The #FluVaxJax campaign is back for the First Coast.
The campaign is led by the Duval County Medical Society, and it’s a collaboration between hospitals, pharmacies, the Jacksonville Mayor’s office, media and other groups.
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Action News Jax has been involved with the push for two years with its launch in 2020.
Dr. Sunil Joshi is the campaign’s chairperson.
“We increased flu vaccination rates significantly that year and the following year – and have been able to keep people out of the hospital here in Northeast Florida with the flu as a result,” Joshi said.
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According to the Duval County Medical Society, in an average year, the First Coast has about a 36.9% adult vaccination rate. During the 2020/2021 flu season, and the first year of #FluVaxJax, the campaign helped to increase the adult flu vaccination rate to 48.5% by the end of flu season.
“We’re right at that time of the year where flu vaccine numbers are relatively low in the summer – and especially to get into the early part of the fall,” Dr. Joshi said. “They do tend to peak around the holidays.”
#FluVaxJax is a community campaign aimed at increasing flu vaccinations on the First Coast and also bring awareness to the effectiveness of the vaccine.
“This is a good time for us to get vaccinated for this seasonal flu that is bound to hit sometime towards the late fall or early winter months,” Dr. Joshi said.
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Doctors strongly advise that kids get a flu shot before the end of October.
The CDC reports that just 55 percent of kids were vaccinated last year nationwide. Doctors report that could lead to an increase in flu and other respiratory viruses this season, while COVID is also a threat.
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If you don’t have insurance, you can receive a free flu vaccine voucher through this campaign.
“We want as many people vaccinated as possible and costs should not be an issue,” Dr. Joshi said.
In total, the #FluVaxJax campaign has distributed nearly 3,000 no-cost flu vaccine vouchers since the initiative began.
CLICK HERE to submit a request for a voucher.
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