December National Health Observances: HIV/AIDS Awareness and Flu Vaccination

Each month, we feature select National Health Observances (NHOs) that align with our priorities for improving health across the nation. In December, we’re raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and about the importance of getting a flu vaccine.  

We’ve pulled together some resources below that you can use to promote these NHOs. We hope that you’ll join the conversation and help us advocate for better health!

• World AIDS Day
  Every year on December 1, we observe World AIDS Day to raise awareness, renew our commitment to ending HIV stigma, and advance efforts to expand access to HIV testing. Explore HIV.gov for important resources to help inform and engage your community. Healthy People 2030 offers a range of resources to help prevent sexually transmitted infections, including evidence-based resources for professionals. Additionally, Healthy People 2030 highlights the importance of expanding HIV awareness through its objective to increase the number of people who know their HIV status. To promote awareness, share MyHealthfinder’s HIV testing guide and questions to ask your doctor about HIV testing to help others feel prepared to discuss testing with their health care providers. Finally, consider wearing a red ribbon to show solidarity with people living with HIV — and discover more ways to make a difference, like sharing the 2024 World AIDS Day campaign materials on your social media and spreading the word within your networks.
• National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 2–6)
  National Influenza Vaccination Week takes place December 2–6, offering a chance to focus on the benefits of getting a flu shot. Join in by sharing the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) materials to educate people in your community about flu prevention. Visit our MyHealthfinder page for tips on staying safe this flu season, and check out Healthy People 2030’s evidence-based resources and the new Leading Health Indicators infographic visualizing the proportion of people who get a flu vaccine every year. 

We hope we’ve made it easier for you to promote these NHOs on your channels. Together, we can take steps to improve health within our nation.