Governor Hickenlooper Supports Colorado Technology, Receives PharmaJet Needle-Free Flu Shot

On September 22, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper got his flu shot and this year the process was a quick, easy and comfortable experience. Governor Hickenlooper, along with the Executive Director for the Colorado Department of Public Heath and Environment Dr. Larry Wolk, received the influenza vaccination using PharmaJet’s Needle-Free Injector. PharmaJet’s needle-free technology to deliver flu shots is the first of its kind to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

“I couldn’t feel it,” Governor Hickenlooper said after he received the needle-free flu shot. Governor Hickenlooper’s flu shot is a good reminder that everyone should get vaccinated this flu season.

Nearly one-quarter (25 percent) of people avoid getting their flu shot due to a fear of needles.¹ This can have serious repercussions, as the flu is a serious illness. During the event, Governor Hickenlooper stressed that, in Colorado alone, there were 1,800 hospitalizations as a result of flu illnesses last year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu is unpredictable and its severity can vary by the season.² There are different types of flu viruses that spread, so the more people that get vaccinated, the healthier the community is as a whole. The CDC recommends that everyone six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year.²

View this video from the PharmaJet Needle-Free flu shot event with Governor John Hickenlooper and Executive Director for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Dr. Larry Wolk.

References

1. Target Corporation. (2012). Target Survey Shows Adult Americans May Avoid the Flu Shot Due to Fear of Needles.
2. “Key Facts about Influenza (Flu) & Flu Vaccine.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. N.d.