COPD activist Bess Clemens dies

Clemens helped raise the public's awareness of COPD. By traveling to baseball games and participating in COPD awareness events, she showed other patients with the disease how to get the most out of life despite their diagnosis.

"The last 10 years were hard on her, the last two to three days were grueling," said her son, Roger, a pitcher for the Houston Astros, who spent his mother's final night with her, according to an AP story. "But she was very tough to the end."

High-risk patients include people 65 and older, residents of long-term care facilities, those aged two to 64 with such conditions as chronic illnesses or compromised immunity, children six months-23 months, pregnant women, and healthcare workers like RTs who provide direct patient care.

Caregivers of children less than six months old also may receive shots under guidelines, as well as displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina living in shelters. FluMist should only be given to patients aged five to 49. Furthermore, only 36% of healthcare workers received shots last year; the CDC encouraged more to get on the bandwagon this year.