A Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by ACC and the Urgent Care Association, in conjunction with the Public Health Congressional Caucus, brought together public health experts and medical doctors across different specialties to discuss the importance of vaccination against the influenza virus and early interventions to help prevent medical complications, hospitalizations and the spread of the virus.

The "Stop the Spread: Preparing for the 2019-2020 Influenza Season" briefing focused heavily on the burdens the virus places on public health, and how preventative measures can reduce them. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the influenza virus was associated with more than 48.8 million illnesses, more than 22.7 million medical visits, 959,000 hospitalizations, and 79,400 deaths during the 2017-2018 influenza season.

Speaking on behalf of the ACC, Andrew Choi, MD, FACC, shared the cardiovascular risks of the influenza virus and how vaccination and early intervention can mitigate those risks. Noting that the flu vaccine is especially critical to help prevent increased risk of heart attack in those aged 65+, he explained that "patients with heart disease have a 6x greater chance of having a heart attack when they have the flu."

The CDC's deputy director of infectious disease, Jay C. Butler, MD, busted flu vaccine myths and discussed the costs of vaccination avoidance, along with surveillance and public education efforts. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) – who chairs the bipartisan caucus alongside Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) – took the time to thank the ACC and the Urgent Care Association for their efforts to protect public health and stop the spread.

Additionally, Richard Park, MD, former CityMD CEO and current Urgent Care Association board president, educated attendees on the capacity of urgent care centers to treat influenza at its earliest stage and prevent hospital emergency department overcrowding during the peak of the flu season.

The ACC has developed a series of CardioSmart patient education resources centered on the flu, including an infographic. View it here.

Clinical Topics: Cardiovascular Care Team, Prevention

Keywords: ACC Advocacy, Influenza Vaccines, Influenza, Human, Vaccination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S., Ambulatory Care, Myocardial Infarction, Ambulatory Care Facilities, Emergency Service, Hospital

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