Cdc Forum Advises Black Community On Flu Prevention

Summary

---

South Florida's multilingualism presents problems, too. Sandra Smith, with the Miami-Dade County Health Department, explained that the flu shot process must be described to immigrants, with distinction being given to the words "immunization" and "immigration."

"A recent study from the American Heart Association shows deaths related to influenza are more common with people suffering from heart complications," said CDC's Dr. [Ray Strikas]. "African Americans and Hispanic Americans tend to suffer these types of diseases and are more susceptible to influenza, which may lead to hospitalization and even death."

The CDC forum coincided with mid-November news that an Avian H5N1 virus ("bird flu") had emerged in rural England. Bird flu, as opposed to the more common swine flu, demands attention. Eruption of a bird flu strain in Asia in 2005 caused human mortality rates of 50 percent.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

Cdc Forum Advises Black Community On Flu Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the nation's health watchdog, is preparing to swat the flu bug.

Last week, the CDC held a "What Everyone Should Know About the Flu" briefing at the University of Miami. Of concern to the agency are the low vaccination rates within black and Hispanic communities.

Influenza ...

See the full content of this document

---