SEASONAL INFLUENZA VACCINES AND PEOPLE WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS

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That this House notes that people with severe mental illness have two to four times the average risk of cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, five times the average risk of diabetes and higher than average rates of infectious illnesses; further notes that people with severe mental illness are not included on the list of those who are automatically offered seasonal influenza vaccines, though people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic liver disease and chronic airways disease are automatically offered the vaccination; and calls on the Department of Health to add people with severe mental illness to the list of those automatically offered the vaccine.