Ignoring the flu shot costs the U.S. billions

Published October 12, 2016 9:23pm ET



A private-sector study says decisions not to get flu shots and other preventive shots creates billions of dollars in healthcare costs and reduced productivity.

The study, published in the journal Health Affairs on Wednesday, said people’s failure to get shots and vaccines cost the economy about $7.1 billion in 2015. The finding was released just as federal data showed that just 42 percent of adults got the flu shot for the 2015-2016 season.

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