Survey: Two-Thirds of Long Islanders Report to Work With the Flu

A new poll conducted on behalf of South Nassau Communities Hospital shows that a third of metro-area residents who have the flu still report to work even though they are aware that the sometimes deadly disease is spread person to person.

Men 50 and older were more likely to report to work with the flu, the survey found, with 37 percent reporting that they had gone in to work despite having a flu diagnosis. By contrast, 28 percent of women 50 or older reported they had done the same.

The overwhelming majority of those responding in the poll – some 93 percent – said they are aware that the flu is spread person to person. And 66 percent said they knew that the flu can be fatal. Yet, only 57 percent of those surveyed said they had gotten the flu shot. Some 33 percent of all respondents reported that they had gone to work with flu at least once.

“The South Nassau ‘Truth in Medicine’ poll is meant to shine a light on public health issues that deserve more attention,” said Richard J. Murphy, South Nassau’s president and CEO. “The more information the public has about issues like the flu, the better prepared they will be to protect themselves and members of their families.”

The poll was conducted via both landlines and cell phones in December with 600 adults in New York City and on Long Island. The poll was conducted as part of the hospital’s mission of improving education around critical public health issues.

“Our ultimate goal is to educate the public about health issues so they can take better care of themselves and seek out appropriate medical care when needed,” said Dr. Adhi Sharma, South Nassau’s chief medical officer. “The flu is an example of a disease that annually causes tens of thousands of hospital and Emergency Department visits that often could be avoided if people took some simple preventative steps, like getting the flu shot, washing their hands frequently and staying at home if they have the flu,” Sharma said.

Those with the flu may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and between five and seven days after becoming sick. Some people, especially young children and those with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time.

About two thirds of those responding to the survey agreed that people should get a flu shot every year, while 16 percent said they didn’t think a flu shot was necessary. Only 57 percent of those responding, however, said they themselves had received a flu shot.

The poll indicated that concern remains about the risks of the flu shot. Forty-two percent said they believed you can get the flu from the flu shot while an equal number of respondents – 42 percent - did not believe you could get the flu from the shot. Some 58 percent of residents surveyed, meanwhile, are aware it is possible to get the flu more than once a year.

It's not too late for residents to get flu shots, either. Talk to your doctor about setting up an appointment for your shot.

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