Seasonal flu will face new opponents this year. Soccer legends and moms Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain are teaming up with Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) to make seasonal flu vaccination a higher priority. The effort is part of a national education campaign called “Don’t Play with the Flu,” which aims to increase seasonal flu vaccination rates for eligible kids and families across the country.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the single best way families can help prevent the seasonal flu is by getting a vaccination – every year – for those individuals who are eligible to receive it. Plus, the CDC now recommends a seasonal flu vaccine each year for all children 6 months through 18 years of age. Parents can also help protect themselves by getting vaccinated.

“My family and I don’t have time to play with the flu,” explained soccer icon Brandi Chastain, when asked why she joined the campaign. Chastain balances her family life as a wife and mom with her role as a player for the WPS FC Gold Pride from the San Francisco Bay Area. “We juggle a lot. Family activities, practice, travel. We do our best to stay healthy by exercising, eating right, and getting plenty of rest. We also help defend and protect ourselves each year by getting a flu vaccine.”

As many as 60 million Americans get the seasonal flu each year and resulting complications cause more than 200,000 hospitalizations. Children commonly need medical care to treat seasonal flu, especially before they reach five years of age. Each year, an average of 20,000 children under the age of five will be hospitalized as a result of flu complications. Kids between the ages of 2 and 17 are twice as likely to get the flu as adults and are a main source for spreading the flu among their peers, family members, elderly and high-risk individuals. According to one analysis, students missed approximately 38 million school days due to seasonal flu in one year.

“Along with all the things that parents know are important for helping keep their kids healthy – like washing hands and getting enough sleep – flu vaccination should be at the top of the list,” said Anne Moscona, M.D., professor of pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical Center and mother of two. “As parents, it’s important we ask about yearly flu vaccines to help protect our kids – and ourselves – from flu.”

The CDC recommends flu vaccination begin as soon as vaccines are available, which can be as early as August or September, and continue throughout the flu season, which can extend through the winter and beyond. There are two types of seasonal flu vaccine: the shot and the nasal spray. Talk to your healthcare provider about vaccine options, eligibility, and how to help protect your family from seasonal flu.

“My family and I get a seasonal flu vaccine every year,” said Hamm, international soccer legend and proud mother of twins. “That way we can concentrate on all the other things we do to stay healthy on and off the field.”

To hear more from Hamm and Chastain, visit www.DontPlaywiththeFlu.com or www.facebook.com/DontPlaywiththeFlu.

The flu seems to be top-of-mind right now for almost everyone, especially moms. And while many moms are taking extra measures this year to protect kids from both seasonal flu and H1N1, they may neglect getting their own flu shot. With kids, husbands, schools, friends, communities and employers depending on moms for so much, it’s more important than ever for moms to get vaccinated against seasonal flu this year.

As many as one in five Americans ends up suffering from the flu each year and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu-related complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most cases result in a few days in bed, which is far from rest and relaxation for the do-it-all mom. When the flu bug bites mom, it can seriously impact the family, as she may not be able to care for the home and kids as she normally does.

“Moms today are busier than ever and the No. 1 thing they’re looking for is convenience,” says Dr. Lucy Crane, Walgreens corporate medical director. “A seasonal flu shot is the best protection against getting the virus and now it’s quick and easy to stop by a neighborhood pharmacy like Walgreens to get one. We know the critical role moms play every day and when mom is down and out, the whole family usually suffers.”

As the holiday season approaches, moms are reminded of the many reasons they should make time for themselves to receive a flu shot – to protect themselves and the ones they love:

* Holiday celebrations – From Halloween to New Year’s Eve, there are endless feasts and festivals with family and friends. To keep the good times rolling, roll up your sleeve for a flu shot, get plenty of rest to help keep your immune system strong and keep anti-bacterial wipes handy in kitchens and bathrooms for yourselves and guests.

* Travel – Traveling is a notorious way to swap germs with strangers. Seasonal flu vaccinations and good habits, like frequent and thorough hand-washing or use of hand sanitizers, drinking plenty of water and coughing or sneezing into tissues (and then throwing them away) are the best defenses against bringing an unwanted passenger on your trip.

* Job and career – Sick kids or sick moms can result in use of sick days (if you have them) or lost wages. For working moms, it’s important to stay healthy and bring home the bacon, and not the flu, too. Urge co-workers to get seasonal flu shots to reduce overall risk of picking up more than a paycheck at work.

Getting a seasonal flu shot is a lot easier than it used to be, with pharmacies, clinics and even airports among those now offering this important service.

Walgreens has taken a leadership role in flu prevention, assembling a network of 16,000 certified immunizers, made up of pharmacists, physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners. Seasonal flu shots are $24.99 and may be covered by insurance plans as well as Medicare Part B. For the latest information on seasonal flu and to find a local store offering seasonal flu shots, visit www.Walgreens.com/flu.

No matter how busy you are, your family and friends will thank you for arming yourself against the seasonal flu this year.