BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 460th Medical Group hosted the annual Flu Drive here, this week, for service members and civilian contractors.
The Flu Drive fulfills the annual, mandatory, flu vaccination requirement for active duty, selected reserve and national guard personnel at Buckley and it ensures that our service members and civilian personnel are ready for the mission.
While the process may seem repetitive every year, there’s an important reason for getting the flu vaccination.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu season occurs every year during the fall and winter months. Therefore, it’s very important for service members to receive a flu shot. The shot makes people immune to some strands of the flu and ensures less people are exposed to it.
“The more people that are immune, means that less people are exposed and can’t pass it on,” said Staff Sgt. Sarah Atamian, 460th Medical Group medical technician.
Even though people receive the flu shot, there are still precautions they should take to prevent them from getting sick.
“Wash your hands frequently and [if you need to cough,] cough into your sleeve,” said Airman 1st Class Tia Johnson, 460th MDG medical technician.
The medical group provided some additional insight by advising people to not come to work if they are sick, as it can increase the chance of spreading the flu to others in the office.
Supervisors are authorized to give 24 hour quarters without a visit to the medical clinic.
“If you are sick, then ask your supervisor for quarters,” said Johnson. “Don’t get your whole unit sick.”
“The flu is one of the easiest and most common sickness that gets passed around this time of year,” said Atamian. “So [administering] the flu shot or making it accessible to other people at other places, for those that can’t get to the Medical Group, is really helpful and important.”
Buckley members can also receive a flu shot off base at certain pharmacies, but they must turn in documentation to the immunization clinic so their records can be updated.