OTTUMWA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GET VACCINATED AS FLU SEASON APPROACHES
September 29, 2026
By Raquel Alderman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Raquel Alderman
Director, Marketing & Communications
Ottumwa Regional Health Center
954.494.9360
raquel.alderman@orhc.com
OTTUMWA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GET VACCINATED AS FLU SEASON APPROACHES
OTTUMWA, IA (September 28, 2026) – To minimize the spread of influenza this fall and winter, Ottumwa Regional Health Center (ORHC) is encouraging employees, medical personnel and community members to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone six months and older, with any age-appropriate flu vaccine. The nasal spray flu vaccine is approved for many non-pregnant individuals ages two through 49, but it is not recommended for certain people with underlying medical conditions.
“Staying up to date on your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and those around you,” said Jessica Kendrick, chief nursing officer at Ottumwa Regional Health Center. “If you have not already done so, I encourage you to receive your annual flu vaccination and stay current with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters. It is one of the smartest decisions you can make to prioritize your health and your family’s health. Being vaccinated significantly decreases the likelihood of catching these diseases and helps to minimize symptoms if you do get sick.”
The best ways to protect against the flu and other respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19, are to:
- Get vaccinated and encourage your friends and family to do the same, especially those at greater risk for serious flu-related complications, including children younger than five, adults 65 and older, pregnant women and people with certain chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart or lung disease.
- Practice good health habits. Avoid close contact with others and stay home when you are sick; practice good hand hygiene; cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing; and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- If prescribed by a physician, take antiviral medications to treat flu or COVID-19.
To help protect patients and prevent the spread of infection, ORHC also asks community members to be mindful when visiting friends and loved ones in the hospital:
- If you have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough or runny nose, please do not visit.
- Wash your hands before entering and after exiting a patient’s room, and again when leaving the hospital.
- If you are at the hospital for tests or procedures and have a flu-like illness, including a fever over 100 degrees with a cough or sore throat, please wear a mask.
Ottumwa Regional Health Center is committed to its mission of Making Communities Healthier® by protecting patients, employees and volunteers and limiting the spread of influenza and other respiratory illnesses in the community. For more information about flu prevention, visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu/.
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About Ottumwa Regional Health Center (ORHC)
Ottumwa Regional Health Center is a 217-bed hospital that has served Ottumwa, Wapello County, and surrounding southeast Iowa communities for more than 130 years. The hospital provides a broad range of services, including emergency care, medical and surgical care, critical care, acute rehabilitation, obstetrics, pediatrics, and specialty services. These include cardiac catheterization, diagnostic and therapeutic imaging, wound care, pain management, sleep studies, pathology, and more. Ottumwa Regional Health Center is committed to its mission of Making Communities Healthier® and providing compassionate, high-quality care close to home. For more information, visit www.OttumwaRegionalHealth.com.