The Impact of a Severe Flu Season: Americans Missed 230 Million Work Days & Lost $8.5 Billion in Wages in 2012-13, Walgreens ...
16 October 2013 - 11:00PM
Business Wire
Survey finds 11 million vacations impacted and
91 million school days missed during last flu season, triple the
number during typical season
The 2012-13 flu season was one of the most severe in the U.S. in
more than a decade and according to a new study, had two to three
times the impact over a more typical flu season on the workplace,
school, family and other segments of people’s everyday lives. A new
report from Walgreens (NYSE:WAG) (Nasdaq:WAG) suggests U.S.
adults missed 230 million work days last season, while
children lost more than 90 million school days due to
flu-related illness. By contrast, 100 million work days and 32
million school days were missed in 2010-11, according to the
Walgreens Flu Impact Report.
Released today, the report examines the broad implications of
the flu on people’s everyday lives and the U.S. economy. The latest
findings illustrate the wide-ranging impact of last flu season, as
well as stark comparisons to the 2011 Flu Impact Report, which was
conducted following a more typical season, and also the most recent
commissioned by Walgreens.
Flu activity last season peaked in December, coinciding with the
winter holidays and resulting in more than 11 million vacations
interrupted or canceled as a result of the flu, a 300 percent
increase over 2011, based on survey results.
“The flu season is always unpredictable, and the impact it can
have on individuals and families at home and in the workplace can
be significant,” said Harry Leider, M.D., Walgreens chief medical
officer. “Last year, with flu peaking early, a lot of people
weren’t prepared and as a result lost vacations and missed out on
holidays. This underscores the importance of getting a flu shot
early, and our report shows more people are planning to do so,
along with taking other preventive measures this year.”
Flu Impact on the Workplace
Nationally, the report suggests the flu-related cost to
employers in 2012-13 was $30.4 billion, three times the $10.5
billion impact found in 2010-11, while employees who missed
time at work due to flu-related illness lost more than
$8.5 billion in wages. In addition:
- Employees missed, on average, three
days of work in 2012-13, compared to an average of one day during
the 2010-11 season
- 6.2 million Americans missed a business
trip in 2012-13 compared to 2 million in 2010-11
- Three out of four respondents indicated
they were personally impacted by the flu last year
Not-So-Festive Holidays for Some
With the peak of last season’s flu activity coinciding with the
winter holidays and busy travel season in December, millions of
vacations and other holiday festivities were likely spent in bed,
instead. More than two out of five (42 percent) respondents that
had the flu last year missed some sort of activity as a result.
These include:
- Holiday events missed: 17
million vs. 4.7 million in 2011
- Vacations missed: 11 million vs.
3.6 million in 2011
“Germ-o-phobia”
The term “germ-o-phobic” has become more main stream in recent
years, with the use of sanitizers on the rise and greater awareness
around how germs and viruses can spread. Nearly two-thirds of
those surveyed (60 percent) say they will take extra precautions to
avoid the flu this year, including washing hands more
frequently (87 percent), getting a flu shot earlier (51 percent),
getting flu shots for family members (49 percent), limiting time in
public places (43 percent) and trying working from home more often
(11 percent).
Lessons Learned from Last Season
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends that people get a flu shot as soon as vaccine becomes
available, typically in August:
- Nearly one-third (31 percent) of the
2012-13 survey respondents waited until November or later to get
their vaccine
- Walgreens data shows 20 percent of the
7 million flu shots administered at Walgreens (including Healthcare
Clinics and Duane Reade) last season were administered in
January
- Nearly four out of every five (79%)
Americans believe that it takes 10 days or less, after receiving
the flu shot, for the body to build up full immunity; in reality it
takes up to 14 days
Methodology
The Flu Impact Survey was conducted online within the United
States by USamp on behalf of Walgreens from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4,
2013, among 1,200 nationally representative adults ages 18 and
older. Flu Impact Report results were balanced on key demographics
to allow projection of results to the entire U.S. adult population.
Results are based on self-reported instances of the flu and
flu-like symptoms. Projections incorporate the latest data
available for average compensation and hours worked from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics, population data and projections from the
United States Census and compared against beta Flu Work Loss models
developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The
margin of error for the national sample is +/-2.9 percent reported
at a 95 percent confidence level.
About Walgreens
As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2013 sales
of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to be the
first choice in health and daily living for everyone in America,
and beyond. Each day, Walgreens provides more than 6 million
customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer
goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and
wellness services and advice in communities across America.
Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty,
infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory
services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs
for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health
systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The
company operates 8,123 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Take Care Health
Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most
comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers,
provider practices, and in-store convenient care clinics, with more
than 750 locations throughout the country.
WalgreensJim Cohn(847) 315-2950http://news.walgreens.com
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