Especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are now going through, the flu shot has become more important than ever. It is in fact essential that individuals understand the value of getting vaccinated against the flu so as to avoid overburdening the hospitals and health care professionals.
However, misinformation circulating on social media is making false claims about the flu vaccine, safety, efficacy, and impact. The more false information spreads about the flu vaccine, the more people are deterred from getting vaccinated, the more lives are put at risk. Putting it bluntly: misinformation risks lives.
And that is why the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) and the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) have joined forces to launch the #TogetherAgainstFlu international campaign. Through #TogetherAgainstFlu, we aim to educate the public and policymakers on flu vaccines.
More than that, we want to be sure people turn to reliable sources and truly understand the facts surrounding flu vaccines and their value. Reliable sources include:
- The World Health Organization (WHO): WHO
- The Center for Disease Control in the US
- The European Centre for Disease Control
We also want people to be able to understand, through the right sources, facts about seasonal flu, including symptoms, treatments, impact, and how to best prevent it:
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal)
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/index.html
- https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza
By standing together and aiming to increase understanding of seasonal flu and the importance of vaccination, we can help combat the spread of vaccine misinformation online. We are proud to stand alongside:
- The World Medical Association (WMA)
- Preventing the flu
- Vaccines Europe
- Influenza Hub
- Vaccines4Life
- The Vaccine Confidence Project
- The Partnership for Influenza Vaccine Introduction
- BIO standing with STRONGER
Working together, we can raise awareness on seasonal flu and the importance of vaccination.
Join our network and let’s act #TogetherAgainstFlu!
