American Lung Association of Florida-South Area Encourages Miami Residents to See Themselves Among the Many 'Faces' of...( MIAMI Oct. 2 /- The American L...),Health

MIAMI, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Lung Association of Florida-South Area is kicking off its 2009-2010 Faces of Influenza initiative by conducting a public influenza panel discussion to help Miami area residents understand the seriousness of seasonal influenza and the importance of annual vaccination. The meeting will address the latest flu statistics and benefits of vaccination, especially among high-risk groups.

The recent A (H1N1) outbreak is a strong reminder that influenza is not the common cold. It's a serious respiratory illness. Each year approximately 226,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 die due to influenza-related complications.

Public health experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommend seasonal influenza vaccination as the first line of defense this year in protecting against the influenza virus. Despite recommendations by health experts that more than four out of five Americans should be vaccinated against seasonal influenza annually, fewer than half actually do.

On average, an estimated 119,999 to 475,000 Miami residents will suffer from seasonal influenza, yet immunization rates fall short each year.

The American Lung Association's Faces of Influenza campaign encourages local residents to see themselves and their loved ones among the many "faces" of influenza -- people who fall into one or more target groups recommended for annual vaccination by the CDC.

American Lung Association of Florida-South Area Hosts Community Panel on Influenza

The meeting will take place on October 2 at Jungle Island, Tree Top Ballroom, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, Fla. at 12:00 p.m. The panel will feature local physicians and community experts from prominent institutions, including the Miami Dade College Medical Center and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

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