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GAITHERSBURG, Md. — AstraZeneca’s MedImmune Specialty Care division has teamed up with actress Tia Mowry to raise awareness about the importance of an annual flu vaccination.
MedImmune said Monday that to launch the campaign it has released an online video with Mowry titled "I Insist," which uses comedy to educate busy families about making a flu immunization a priority as part of healthy living.
For Mowry, that includes vaccination with FluMist Quadrivalent, MedImmune’s needle-free flu vaccine for those ages 2 to 49. The vaccine is administered as a gentle mist sprayed into the nose, where the influenza virus typically enters the body.
The campaign also will feature an interactive website and a YouTube page as well as a series of flu prevention tips and information about vaccination throughout the flu season on themed Facebook and Twitter pages.
Despite recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated each year, less than half of U.S. adults and just over half of children get vaccinated, MedImmune noted.
"I Insist" takes a closer look at a day in the life of Mowry, using humor to depict the demands of life as a busy actress, author, wife and mother. But when it comes to her family’s health, Mowry takes the time to learn about flu vaccination options and get her family vaccinated.
"My hope is that our video will reinforce the value of flu vaccination and encourage families to speak with their doctors about the vaccine options available this flu season," commented Mowry, who stars in the reality show "Tia & Tamera" on the Style Network. "After a conversation with my doctor, we decided that needle-free FluMist Quadrivalent was the right choice for me and my family. So this year, we ‘Insist on the Mist!’ "
The 2013-14 flu season marks the first time that quadrivalent influenza vaccines will be available in the United States. Quadrivalent flu vaccines help protect against four strains: two strains of influenza A and two strains of influenza B.
"FluMist Quadrivalent was the first quadrivalent flu vaccine to receive FDA approval, and MedImmune Specialty Care is the only flu vaccine manufacturer that has converted 100% of its U.S. supply to the quadrivalent formulation," stated Chris Ambrose, M.D., MedImmune Specialty Care’s vice president of medical and scientific affairs.
FluMist Quadrivalent will be available through private health care practices, public health departments, school-located vaccination programs, military bases, and local and national retail pharmacies, including Target and Walgreens.
