As the flu season approaches, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending for the first time that school kids get vaccinated as well this year, adding up to 30 million souls to the list of people who will potentially receive the shots.
Speaking to the press, CDC Director Dr Julie Gerberding said this year’s batch of flu vaccines should offer good protection because they are expected to be a good match for the viruses circulating this coming flu season. Last year, only two of the three strains in the vaccine were a good match.
Flu vaccine supplies have been climbing year on year in the US; Gerberding said between 143 and 146 million doses were expected to be available this year for the US, the most ever, reported the Wall Street Journal. That is why kids aged 5 to 18 are now included on the list of recommended recipients, which in previous years only covered children aged from 6 to 59 months.
The CDC said vaccines should already be available in many locations as manufacturers began shipping batches for the 2008-09 flu season in August. They expect all this year’s supply to be shipped by the end of November.
People are advised to see their health care provider to get their flu shot, or they can also find a flu clinic in their area using the online Flu Clinic Locator from the American Lung Association, powered by Maxim Health (see link at the end of this article).
Flu shots are already available, and vaccination will continue throughout the season, into December, January and even later. The season often peaks in February, but the virus can still cause illness in April and May, said the CDC. If you can’t get vaccinated now, then you may still get benefit from having your shot in December, January, or even later, although getting vaccinated now will cover you for the whole season, since the immunity lasts for about a year.
This year’s flu vaccine for the US contains three new influenza virus strains:
- A/Brisbane/59/2007(H1N1)-like virus.
- A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus.
- B/Florida/4/2006-like virus.
The CDC advises anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu to get a shot (remember for children this is two shots, 4 weeks apart). However, both the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) say certain people should always be vaccinated every year because they are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu, or they live with or care for people at higher risk. So the full list of people who should get vaccinated every year now includes:
- All children from the age of 6 months up to their 19th birthday.
- Anyone aged 50 and over.
- Anyone of any age who has a chronic medical condition.
- Health care workers, people who have household contact with those at higher risk of complications, and anyone who has regular contact, in our out of the home, with children too young to be vaccinated (under 6 months).
Click here for Flu Clinic Locator (US only).
Source: CDC, Wall Street Journal, American Lung Association.
Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD