As a former NFL player, here's how I'm keeping my community healthy against flu and COVID

As a former NFL player, here's how I'm doing my part to keeping my community healthy against flu and COVID

As fall turns to winter, kids bundle up for school, and families gather for the holidays, the rise of contagious illnesses drastically increases.

One person, child or senior who falls victim to the flu, COVID or even a common cold can turn into a super spreader before you know it. Being up to date on vaccinations could mean the difference between a speedy recovery or a hospital stay, especially for those among us who are more vulnerable.

Though we’ve thankfully moved past the height of the pandemic, COVID-19 is unfortunately here to stay and resurging. This past summer, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee rose 48% between June and July and jumped 74% between August 1 to October 1. This spike has coincided with the recent emergence of two, new COVID-19 variants, BA.2.86 and EG.5, both in the U.S. and abroad.

After multiple rounds of testing, federal regulators approved new COVID-19 vaccines that are available and being distributed nationwide. Much like the annual flu vaccines, which are updated each year, the new COVID-19 vaccine has been updated to include protection against the most recent strains of the virus.

We must stay ready to stay healthy

Given the change in seasons and increase in cases, it’s clear we not only need to learn to live with COVID-19 but take active precautions to prepare our immune systems against the risk of infection. However, less than 10.8% of Tennesseans were up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations as of Sept. 12, according to the CDC,.

As part of the NFL Alumni Association’s “Gear Up, Tennessee!” campaign, I and many of my fellow former players have joined forces to encourage Tennesseans to keep themselves and their families healthy by staying game ready. That means getting the facts and making an informed decision about getting vaccinated.

The risk of injury is never lost on NFL players, but it also never stopped us from playing the game we love. We just had to learn how to reduce that risk through preventative measures, staying healthy and keeping our bodies right. As professional athletes, we collectively understand the importance of taking care of each other before, during and after a game. I like to say, “Stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.”

That’s what vaccines do for our bodies. They help mitigate the risks of viruses like the flu or COVID and help us all stay game ready. And vaccines don’t just help the individual who gets one – they help the entire community stay healthy.

It’s up to us to keep our community safe

In football, you win or lose as a team. So, keeping the whole team healthy throughout the game ensures you get to celebrate together as a team after the final whistle and for years to come.

I understand most of us are tired talking about viruses or getting sick, but it’s up to all of us to keep our community safe and healthy. But the fact is, airborne viruses like the flu and COVID remain a threat that we must all do our part to be prepared.

That is why it’s important that you speak to your doctor or other trusted health professionals: make sure your vaccines are up to date, ask questions, address any fears or concerns you may have, and get the facts so you can make an informed decision.

Vaccination is how we can learn to live with COVID

More than a century has passed since the great flu pandemic of 1918, yet millions of Americans still get the flu and tens of thousands die from it every year. Each fall and winter, many line up at the recommendation of their doctor to get their annual flu shot, me included. It’s become an annual event that gives me peace of mind knowing that I am protecting myself and my loved ones.

Just as we all eventually learned how to live with and manage the impact of the flu, we must now do the same with COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

It’s clear by the recent spike that COVID-19 is not going anywhere. However, getting vaccinated can help keep us safe and healthy by prepping our immune system.

That’s what “Gear Up!” is all about. I urge you to talk to your doctor and gear up against airborne viruses this season.

Al Smith is the president of the NFL Alumni Association Tennessee Chapter and a former All-Pro/Pro Bowl Linebacker with the Houston Oilers.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: COVID vaccine: I'm an ex NFL player and I'm keeping my community safe