Ebola, Flu Shots, Enterovirus, and a Dose of Perspective

The news can be overwhelming—while Ebola deaths continue to devastate entire populations in West African countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, the media here tries (and succeeds!) to whip us into a frenzy over a small handful of contained cases of Ebola here in the States. At the same time, we’ve heard of over 1,000 children here in the United States contracting the very scary Enterovirus D68. These often deadly illnesses are nothing short of frightening, for sure, but while we’re all obsessing over quarantines and hazmat suits, a much more immediate threat to the average American family’s health still isn’t being taken very seriously.

What am I talking about? Plain and simple, the flu. Last flu season, more than 381,000 Americans were hospitalized with influenza—and according to the CDC, 108 children died from the flu. The thing about all of this is that it’s preventable. Of those children who died of the flu, a full 90 percent of them hadn’t been immunized with their flu shot. Your child might not like going to the doctor to get her flu shot (or nasal spray—that’s an option now, too!) but it could seriously save her life. I hate to be blunt, but dealing with a cranky kiddo for one day after a quick doctor’s visit is worth it, especially when the potential alternative outcome is so grim.

So try to stop freaking out over Ebola. The amount of suffering it’s causing in West Africa is overwhelming, and I salute the international aid workers who are doing their best to help the situation there, but our chances of contracting it while here in the United States are slim to none. As for Enterovirus D68, we don’t have a vaccine for it yet, but I would gladly give one to every member of my family if it were available. For now, the best we can do is wash our hands really well and make sure all our coughs and sneezes are covered properly. But the flu? We can stop that one dead in its tracks. If you haven’t already gotten your flu shot (yes, you need one, too!) make an appointment with your doctor or head to your local pharmacy to get one, and get the whole family taken care of while you’re at it. In a time of so many looming health threats, it’s the one thing you can really take control of with confidence.