Wis. Health Officials Promoting Higher Rates of Flu Vaccinations in Communities of Color

MADISON, Wis.– As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in the country and in Wisconsin, cases of the flu have been another story.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is rolling out a new campaign to help encourage all Wisconsinites to get the flu vaccine.

With the COVID-19 vaccinations now starting around the world and on the way here soon in the US, the state of Wisconsin is trying to make sure its citizens are taking available vaccinations like the flu shot, especially for communities of color.

Wisconsin unveiled its ‘Be the InFLUencer’ campaign to promote more flu vaccinations in the state, with an emphasis on the state’s minority communities.

“People of color are more susceptible to having complications that we really want to get the word out that they should get the flu shot,” said Dr. Kevin Izard, a Physician for Paladina Health in Milwaukee.

Medical experts say communities of color are more likely to have complications from the flu. But last year, the African American community in Wisconsin had only 26 percent of people get a flu shot.

Dr. Izard says the gap comes from factors like distrust of the medical system, lack of access to primary care, and cost.

“Between things like access to care, things like having community resources and then also just having places where you can go to get the flu shot,” said Izard. “In some of the rural areas, some of the reservations, you might not have access to getting those things.”

But Wisconsin, like the rest of the country, is seeing extremely low activity for influenza.

Over 2.1 million Wisconsinites have been vaccinated this year, which is up 2.5 percent over last year. Since the beginning of October, there have only been 17 cases of Influenza in Wisconsin and little hospitalizations.

While that number may be low, state health experts don’t want people in Wisconsin to get complacent. They are encouraging everyone to get vaccinated if they haven’t already.

“This last year, we had over 4,500 hospitalizations due to flu. It’s a very serious disease, people have to remember that the season may just be starting,” said Wisconsin DHS Influenza Surveillance Coordinator Tom Haupt.

The state’s campaign will focus on trying to reach as many people as possible through outlets like social media to try and spread the word about the importance of getting vaccinated, along with taking the coronavirus vaccine when available.

While Influenza hospitalizations are low, health officials want to keep it that way to prevent a further strain on medical resources as they fight COVID-19.