Flu Shots Found to Reduce Sick Days Among Workers : SCIENCE FILE / An exploration of issues and trends affecting science, medicine and the environment
<i> From staff and wire service reports </i>
Flu shots are not just for old folks. A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine says that the annual fall vaccinations also keep working-age people healthier and more productive, reducing wintertime sick days by one-third. The team based its study on 849 healthy adults ages 18 to 64, half of whom got the vaccine. Those who received it had 25% fewer upper respiratory illnesses and missed 36% fewer days of work.
The flu vaccine is strongly recommended this time of year for the nation’s 60 million elderly people, as well as for those with chronic diseases who risk serious complications if they catch the flu.
