Oak Street Health helps to save the lives of seniors

Stock photo from Pixabay

According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths in recent years among Americans that result from influenza have ranged from a low of 12,000 during the 2011-2012 flu season to a high of 46,000 during the 2012-2013 season. The saddest part of all is that the elderly can be particularly vulnerable and most of their deaths could be prevented with a vaccination.

When 12,000 Americans dying from a preventable illness is at the low-end of the spectrum, we as a community clearly have a problem.

Quite frankly, I don't care what Jenny McCarthy or Jim Carrey has to say about the matter, vaccinations are safe and effective - especially when it comes to the flu. This is why I've gotten my flu shot every year for the past several years in a row.

I was thrilled to hear, therefore, that Oak Street Health is launching a special program near the Warrendale neighborhood to encourage and enable more senior citizens to get their annual flu shot. This is a thing that really can save lives.

The medical staff at Oak Street Health will give a free flu shot to any senior citizen who is on Medicare. The closest Oak Street Health location to the Warrendale neighborhood is located at 27155 Cherry Hill in Inkster. If anyone has any questions, they can call the center at (313) 749-1178.

Oh, and when you go get your flu shot, please be sure to tell them that Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey sent you.

It won't make a difference in terms of your flu shot itself. However, it would probably annoy Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey to hear that people are mentioning their names when getting vaccinated.