This week is National Influenza Vaccination Week. The National Influenza Vaccination Week is a national awareness week focused on highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination. The CDC established National Influenza Vaccination Week in 2005 to highlight the importance of continuing flu vaccination through the holiday season and beyond. Judi Van Hulzen with Marion County Public Health tells KNIA/KRLS News kids over the age of six months need to get an initial flu shot and then get a second flu shot. Van Hulzen says the first flu shot is the soldier and the second shot is the weapon the soldier will use to fight the flu. She says elderly people should get the high dose flu shot but if it is not available just the normal flu shot is better than nothing. Van Hulzen says the flu can be deadly for the very young and the very old. According to the CDC the Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits each year. From 2016 to 2017, flu vaccination prevented an estimated 5.3 million influenza illnesses, 2.6 million influenza-associated medical visits, and 85,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations.