Spring is around the corner, but there’s still a good month or two of hard snow left. This means doubling down on your available vaccinations and making sure your patients are covered.

The amount of flu-related deaths and hospitalizations has risen significantly these past few years. Misconceptions about vaccines and what they do to the human body are still circulating without fail. It’s up to you to make sure you not just order the right amount of vaccines, but distribute them properly and carefully. This means adequate refrigeration, plenty of variety, and the know-how to provide alternatives. Anything less can expose entire communities to risk.

Flu vaccines distributors have a lot of work to do. Here’s where we are right now.

The Common Cold

Without vaccines we would be living in a more dangerous society. Every time a doctor orders quadrivalent influenza vaccines and preservative-free vaccines they do the complex work of not just keeping individuals safe, but entire populations safe. Every day our bodies work hard to protect us against a barrage of diseases, illnesses, and infections. It’s estimated the average child catches between six and 10 colds in a single year. While the common cold normally comes with few complications — barring those with compromised immune systems — the flu is often more serious.

Flu-Related Hospitalizations

The common cold and the flu bear similar symptoms. Both come with fevers, coughing, and congestion. While the former rarely lasts more than a week, the latter can have effects lasting longer — these include muscle pains, lethargy, dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea. The number of flu-related hospitalizations has been on the rise, much to the concern and fear of many medical professionals today. An average of 200,000 Americans will go to the hospital every year because of complications caused by the flu.

Common Misconceptions

A major reason why many families aren’t vaccinating their children or themselves are due to misconceptions about vaccines. Some believe they can make people more sick, which is a rare incidence that is often not related to the vaccine itself, but what goes into creating it (such as an egg allergy). The quadrivalent influenza vaccine is needed to create herd immunity, a term used to denote an entire community looking out for those that can’t be protected by conventional means. Part of your job is not just distributing vaccines, but education. A little goe a long way.

Helpful Life Advice

Did you know just 90% of children between the ages of 19 and 35 months old receive polio vaccinations? That’s still far too many children that could be exposed to a debilitating disease. As you distribute the quadrivalent influenza vaccine you also need to ensure your patients are learning essential health advice. Practicing regular handwashing and staying home from work or school when sick are important in today’s society. You can encourage them to share this knowledge with friends and family for a broad effect.

Pre-Filled Flu Vaccine Syringes

When you’re approached with a high volume of patients it can help to have extra convenience on your side. Pre-filled syringes are ready to go, providing immunization in a matter of seconds to last the rest of the year. Immunization is thought to prevent two to three million deaths every year, thanks to studies from the World Health Organization. Even still, the CDC has found at least 20 million school days are lost every year in the country because of the flu and the cold. It’s an ongoing battle, but one best equipped with good tools.

Double-check your fluzone quadrivalent influenza vaccine. Keep track of your vaccine refrigerator’s temperature. We can all stay safe with a little preparation.