Persuasive Speech Outline On Influenza

Influenza

I. Introduction

A. Attention-getter

1. “Hi, I’m Tonya. I’ll be your nurse helping you install your anti-virus protection via this syringe”.

a. Influenza hits every year, without fail. Let’s learn together and help ourselves stay healthy this year.

b. Thousands become ill, become hospitalized and some even die from complications of the flu. In the 1918-1919 Spanish flu pandemic, 20 to 50 million people died across America and Europe.

2. According to the CDC October 6th, 2017, estimates that flu-related hospitalizations since 2010 in the US ranged from 140,000 to 710,000, while flu-related deaths are estimated to have ranged from 12,000 to 56,000.

B. Reason to listen

1. Influenza impacts us all. It is

a non-discriminate virus that will infect everyone no matter their age, race or creed.
2. No one wants to be ill. We all want to go through our daily lives without incident. Getting sick only slows us down. Learning about influenza will help you achieve that goal.
C. Credibility statement
1. I have been a nurse for 23 years. I have given a lot of influenza vaccinations. I have had numerous in-services and training on influenza.
2. I have taken care of people with influenza, both mild and severe cases.
3. I have also done research recently to make sure there wasn’t anything I have forgotten.
D. Thesis statement: Understanding influenza, the importance of getting the vaccination and learning prevention will help you avoid contracting influenza.
E. Preview of main points: Today I am going to inform you about the influenza virus.
1. First, I will explain what influenza is and how it infects your body.

2. Next, I will explain the vaccination and dispel some misconceptions.
3. Lastly, I will help you learn how to prevent yourself from contracting influenza.
Transition: Let’s get started by learning about influenza and why it’s so deadly.
II. Main point one: What influenza is and how it infects your body.
A. According to the CDC October 3rd, 2017, “The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs”.
1. It is transmitted by two different methods. Either by contact, that can be direct or indirect, or it is airborne. Infected people up to 6 feet away can infect others.
2. Once the virus enters your body it has the perfect environment to multiply affecting your respiratory system (nose, throat, and lungs).
a. Exposure time between contracting the virus and showing symptoms is approximately 1-4 days. You can begin to infect others from one day prior to having symptoms and up to 5-7 days after you become ill.
B. People who contract influenza will develop symptoms suddenly not gradually.
1. Symptoms include: congestion or runny nose, sore throat, coughing, fever, headaches, body aches and feeling weak. Not all people will develop a fever with the flu. Remember everyone is different!
2. Complications from the flu can be very serious. Most people will generally only be sick from just a few days up to two weeks. Young children, older adults and the chronically ill are most at risk for serious complications like inflammation of the heart and brain, respiratory failure or even sepsis, that is the body’s extreme response to an infection.
Transition: Now that we’ve learned about what influenza can do to your body, let’s take a look at the vaccine and some common misconceptions.
III. Main point two: The influenza vaccine and misconceptions.
A. According to the CDC October 6th, 2017, “Seasonal influenza vaccines are developed in combination with research to determine which influenza types will be most common during the upcoming season”.
1. Traditional vaccines will protect against three types of influenza.
a. Two type A, H1N1 & H3N2 and one type B.
b. They are made with influenza vaccine viruses that are ‘inactive’ or have no influenza vaccine viruses.
2. You should get vaccinated by the end of October, but the vaccine is still beneficial if given later.
a.

Methods of administration are either by an injection or nasal spray.

B. Common misconceptions about the vaccine. No, you cannot get influenza from the vaccine.

1. Common side effects include soreness, tenderness, and swelling at the injection site. A person can also develop a low fever, muscle aches and headaches.

2. Everyone who is six months of age or older should get vaccinated every year because the immune protection declines over time. It is better to be vaccinated than catch influenza, especially if you are the very young, older adults, or if you have chronic health conditions.

3. In the past if a person had an egg allergy, they couldn’t receive the influenza vaccination. However, according to the CDC September 2nd, 2016, “People with egg allergy can receive flu vaccinations with recommendations. A person who has previously experienced a severe allergic reaction to flu vaccine, regardless of the component suspected of being responsible for the reaction should not get a flu vaccine again”.

Transition: Now, other than getting an influenza vaccination, how can we prevent ourselves from contracting influenza?

IV. Main point three: How can we help ourselves from contracting the flu? Let’s do some

“debugging”.
A. We’ve all heard “an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure”. It’s true!
1. Try to avoid contact with people whom you know are infected with influenza. If you are infected with influenza, avoid contact with people. Spreading infection is very easy!
2. Wash your hands with soap and water often.
a. Proper handwashing lasts 20 seconds. That’s singing the happy birthday song twice while having soap on your hands. Scrub between your fingers, around your thumb, over and under your hands, and under your fingernails by scratching your palms with your fingernails.
b. If you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, then use an alcohol based sanitizer. Using the size of a dime in your palm, rub it all over the surface of your hands until it is dry. Do not wave your hands to dry the sanitizer.
3. We constantly touch our eyes, nose and mouth along with other parts of our skin. This is the way infection spreads. Try to avoid doing it.
4. Clean and disinfect surface areas, especially ones you come into frequent contact with.
5. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. If you don’t have a tissue, use your elbow to sneeze or cough into, not your hands.
Transition: Now I hope you all have a basic understanding of how to prevent yourself from contracting influenza.
V. Conclusion: I have covered three different subjects regarding influenza.
A. I hope you have a better understanding of influenza and what it can do to you.
B. The misconceptions of the influenza vaccine have hopefully been dispelled.
C. With using the guidelines of prevention, I hope you won’t contract influenza this season.