To Help Local Hospitals, Courtney Highlights Need for Eastern Connecticut Residents to Donate Blood, Get Flu Vaccine | Congressman Joe Courtney
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To Help Local Hospitals, Courtney Highlights Need for Eastern Connecticut Residents to Donate Blood, Get Flu Vaccine

October 17, 2014

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday evening, Congressman Joe Courtney donated blood at the Red Cross donation center in Norwich (photo attached). As news of Ebola causes anxiety for U.S. residents, donating blood and getting vaccinated against the flu will help local health systems better prepare for emergencies of all kinds. Courtney has scheduled his flu shot for Monday in Vernon.

"Donating blood is one of the most basic and effective ways that Connecticut citizens can contribute to the readiness of our local hospitals for a range of emergencies,” said Courtney.

"While the threat of an outbreak of Ebola is extremely low, we can do our part to help,” Courtney added. “Aside from donating blood, getting a flu vaccination is a very important step to help keep our communities healthy. Crucially, preventing flu outbreak will reduce the number of patients visiting emergency rooms and lower the strain on our health care system. I hope eastern Connecticut residents will join me in donating blood if they can, and getting vaccinated against the flu to help stay healthy this winter."

To find a location to donate blood near you, visit: https://www.redcrossblood.org

To find a location to receive the flu vaccine near you, visit:
https://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/vaccination/

Congressman Courtney also commented on yesterday’s developments in Connecticut, after a Yale public health student who recently traveled to Liberia tested negative for the Ebola virus. In recent days, Courtney has been briefed by Dr. Jewel Mullen, Connecticut Commissioner of Public Health, as well as officials at the Centers for Disease Control.

"While this initial result requires additional testing and confirmation, this was certainly welcome news for the patient, the Yale community, and our state,” Courtney said. “Our experience yesterday underscores the need for vigilant and robust preparedness at all levels, and ensuring that the United States, along with the international community, is bringing every possible resource to bear in eradicating the Ebola outbreak at its source. I will continue to remain in close contact with state and federal health officials, and work with my colleagues to ensure that CDC both has the resources it needs and is deploying them to the hospitals where they are required.”

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Issues:Health Care