Flu Shot: Get the Vaccine to Protect You — And Those Around You

With flu season around the corner, your health care providers, employers, pharmacists and others are sounding the annual reminder: "Get your annual flu shot." We encourage this for you — and for the people around you, too. We see evidence every year of the benefits of the flu vaccine, and we also see the risks of skipping it.

The flu vaccine has dramatic impacts on public health. However, since strains of the flu may vary from year to year, the vaccine must be received annually. Although the vaccine doesn't guarantee a flu-free winter and perfect health, medical research has convincingly shown that the flu shot reduces flu severity and reduces sick visits, hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. For infants and the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, the flu shot is essential protection against serious illness.

Although Massachusetts has historically ranked high in its overall immunization rates —  50 percent of all residents received vaccines in 2015-16 flu season — that percentage dropped from 55 percent the year before. The lowest rates of vaccination are in residents 18-49 — 40 percent for the 2015-16 season, but vaccine rates for all age groups (except young children) dropped slightly as well.

Some people have medical reasons for being unable to have the shot, but others go without by choice. Why? They may feel confident in their own good health and their body's ability to ward off illness. They may be skeptical about vaccines in general. However, skipping the flu vaccine means taking an unnecessary risk – for yourself and others whom you care for or work with, or who may be more vulnerable than you to illness.

Here's what we know about the flu vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

· During flu seasons when the vaccine is well-matched with flu strains that are circulating, the vaccine is shown to reduce the need for flu-related medical visits by 30 to 60 percent.

· During the 2016-17 flu season, the vaccine prevented an estimated 5.3 million flu illnesses, 2.6 million medical visits for the flu and 85,000 flu-related hospitalizations.

· The vaccine reduces the severity of flu symptoms for those who may get sick, and reduces hospital-based Intensive Care Unit admissions related to the flu.

· The flu vaccine is a preventive measure for people with other chronic illnesses, such as cardiac, diabetes and lung diseases.

· Children and pregnant women are especially susceptible to complications from the flu. The vaccine has repeatedly reduced the risk of flu-related deaths among children by 50 percent.

Dalton Public Safety Advisory Committee Ranks Potential Properties

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
07:26AM / Saturday, January 04, 2025

Use of town-owned lots near the Senior Center would require a town meeting vote as housing had been designated a priority for the former school property. 

DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Advisory Committee has ranked four properties to consider during its feasibility study on locations for a new police station. Two have existing structures, including a residential property, and the others are vacant lots.

 

The committee ranked the locations based on a quantitative scoring and weighting process, considering the properties' location, projected cost, size, and whether it is purchase or lease and whether it's vacant or has an existing structure. 

 

Jacunski Humes Architects LLC of Berlin, Conn., selected to conduct the study, will assess what is needed for an efficient and accredited public safety facility at each site. This will include cost estimates and consideration of scenarios such as building a new facility on a green site, remodeling an existing building, and demolishing and rebuilding potential sites. 

 

The property that obtained the highest rank was First Congregational Church's addition, which has offices in the basement with a walkout and some offices on the second floor on the south end. 

 

According to committee co-Chair Craig Wilbur, purchasing or leasing the property is up for negotiation. The congregation has the 2,600 square foot space listed on for lease on its website. 

 

There is also the possibility of constructing a building farther to the east of the existing church using some of the green space and parking lot. 

 

The committee is unsure if the parking lot is available for consideration but opted to keep it on the list so the architect could evaluate all the potential options for the property.