Fort Bliss, TX –
As the weather cools and the trees shed their leaves, the flu season quietly sets upon us.
Influenza more commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Flu seasons are unpredictable and have the potential to impact Department of Defense (DoD) force readiness and missions. Vaccination is the primary method for preventing influenza and its complications.
In a pre-emptive effort to vaccinate all 38,000 Soldiers and Army Civilian Professionals (ACPs) on Fort Bliss from the flu, William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) dispatched a team to administer around 600 vaccines at the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence (NCOLCoE) and Sergeants Major Academy (SGM-A) from Nov. 4th to 5th. The team also visited the Fort Bliss NCO Academy later in the week where they administered another 50 vaccines.
Brandon Thomas, a Health Technician-Vaccine Coordinator along with a team from WBAMC set up a vaccination drive on the NCOLCoE and SGM-A campus. This allowed students and staff at the Sergeants Major Academy to receive a flu shot with minimal disruption to the academic calendar.
Thomas reported that his team’s visit to the NCOLCoE and SGM-A was a success with the majority of students being vaccinated. “We organize and send teams to units that do not have their own medical assets, to cover as much of Fort Bliss as possible.” He said that teams will be available at Freedom Crossing on all Saturdays in November that will administer flu vaccines to Service Members, ACPs, dependents, retirees and children over three years of age.
To maintain worldwide mission readiness, the Army requires 100 percent compliance for Soldiers on flu vaccinations, a goal the NCOLCoE is close to meeting.
Staff Sgt. Edwin Zerr, one of the team members responsible for vaccinations said, “The flu vaccine has been around for a long time and has proven to be safe and reduces the likelihood of contracting the flu.” He further said that getting vaccinated is the best way to mitigate the spread of the virus.
In their vaccination efforts teams from WBAMC will continue the process of dispatching teams to the NCOLCoE and the Fort Bliss NCO Academy and other units around Fort Bliss to ensure maximum vaccination and will host additional free vaccination drives around Fort Bliss.
The Center for Disease Control states that each year in the United States between 9.3 million to 41 million fall ill with the flu, 100,000 to 710,000 of those result in hospitalizations, with 4,900 to 51,000 cases resulting in death from the flu and flu related complications. While the numbers vary year-to-year they are not to be taken lightly.