About the campaign: Are there going to be other events going on around the country?
Dean Cain: I’m going to be in Philadelphia in December, I’ll be in Seattle in January, and there will be other places [holding events.] People think that if they don’t get their flu shot by Thanksgiving, they think, "well I missed it, I will just take my chances." But that is not true at all. The season peaks in February, so you can get it all the way through March. It certainly won’t do you any harm; the virus will still be around. Plus if you travel to Australia, the end of our flu season is the beginning of theirs. And I travel all over the world, so it definitely helps.
- See the American Lung Association's "Faces of Influenza" website for a schedule of events around the country.
Yes, and I have actually heard that the flu season was pretty bad in Australia last year, so I’m hoping it’s not going to be so bad here. Still, it doesn’t look good for us. Is there anything else that you would like readers of About.com's Cold and Flu site to know?
Dean Cain: One of the things that I wish would be covered, that I want people to understand, is that you are not going to get sick from the flu shot. Dispel the myths. You can get the flu after you get the flu shot, but not because you got the flu shot. At least [your case will] hopefully be less severe than it would have been.
- Can you get the flu from a flu shot?
- Why did you get sick after a flu shot?
- Does cold weather make you sick?
- Read more about the vaccine controversy on our Autism Spectrum Disorders site.
I know, it is very frustrating but it is very hard to change people’s minds.
Dean Cain: I know, but that is what I am hoping to do.
My Two Cents
I certainly hope Dean is able to encourage people to get their flu shots, too. It is a very important immunization for a lot of people, and we sadly fall far short of recommended vaccine levels every year.
If you have the opportunity to visit the Faces of Influenza website, or one of the events around the country, I encourage you to do so. It conveys a very powerful message about how severe the flu can be and how so many of us can and should be vaccinated.
