Holiday Crowds And Gatherings Can Spread Colds, The Flu And Other Diseases
(Long Island, NY) Nassau University Medical Center President and CEO, Dr. Victor F. Politi, will join doctors and staff nurses Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 12 pm in the hospital’s main lobby to announce NUMC will offer free flu vaccines to local residents as the Holiday season begins with Thanksgiving next week. The most important time for a flu shot is before the start of the holiday season, since people are more likely to find themselves in large crowds at holiday events. Every year, thousands of Americans die from the flu and over 200,000 are hospitalized.
Vaccines are the best protection against the flu. Estimates are that about 44% of American adults and almost 60% of children receive the flu vaccine. Late November through January is considered the height of flu season. Common symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue.
Nassau University Medical Center is a 530-bed public teaching hospital that has been the primary source of medical care for millions of Nassau County residents for 80 years. The hospital treats more than 80,000 emergency patients annually and its 80-plus outpatient specialty clinics handle more than 178,000 patient visits each year.
