Flu Prevention
Top 3 Reasons to Get Your Flu Vaccine
- Prevents influenza-related death.
- Prevents severe illness.
- Protects other people.
Flu News
Influenza Key Messaging Points - October 2011
October 18, 2011 -- The 2011-2012 flu season has begun, and typically activity begins to rise as the end of the year draws closer, so the Bureau of Immunization would like to share additional vaccination messaging key points released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Public information messaging should center around availability of vaccine, and the observed match between the prevalent circulating strains and those which have been included in the trivalent vaccine.
Some highlights are presented below, but we ask that you read the complete document carefully so that a unified message is shared with our immunization partners and to the public. The document also serves as a good starting point for public information officers who are developing influenza press releases. CDC matte articles are also available.
- The CDC released the initial FluView influenza activity report for the U.S. 2011-2012 flu season with the message that flu activity is currently low, making this the perfect time to get vaccinated.
- The first FluView report indicates that influenza activity in the U.S. is low now, however, increases in influenza activity are expected in the next few weeks as flu season gets underway.
- The first FluView report also indicates that so far circulating viruses are very well matched to the viruses in the vaccine, thus looking like we will have a vaccine that provides good protection this season to help keep influenza illness and serious complications down.
- It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body's immune response to fully kick in, so it's best to get vaccinated before activity begins so that you'll be protected once flu season starts in your community.
- The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get an annual flu vaccine.
- More than 110 million doses of vaccine had been delivered in the U.S. as of the end of September, with manufacturers projecting total production between 166 and 173 million doses. This is the most flu vaccine ever produced for the U.S. market.
- This season, people have more options than ever in this regard, both in terms of where they get vaccinated and which vaccine they chose to get.
- While doctor's offices and health departments continue to provide flu vaccinations, vaccine also is available at many pharmacies, work places, and other retail and clinic locations.
- In addition to the traditional seasonal flu shot that has been available for decades, a nasal spray vaccine was introduced in 2003 for non-pregnant healthy people between 2 and 49 years of age, and a high dose flu shot was introduced last season for people 65 years of age and older.
- Also, new for this season is an intradermal shot, which uses a needle 90% smaller than the regular flu shot and is approved for people 18 to 64 years of age.
The 2010-2011Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) should continue to be referenced for other information on influenza vaccines. For more information and to receive updated press releases, please visit the CDC's Influenza website.
Prevention and Control of Influenza With Vaccines
September 8, 2011 -- Prevention and Control of Influenza With Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. was released in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). August 26, 2011;60(33);1128-1132. We urge all our immunization partners to read this release carefully in order to have current information on immunization recommendations.
This document provides updated guidance for the use of influenza vaccines in the U.S. for the 2011-2012 influenza season. Vaccination of all persons 6 months of age and greater continues to be recommended. Information is presented in this report regarding vaccine strains for the 2011-2012 influenza season, the vaccination schedule for children 6 months through 8 years of age, and considerations regarding vaccination of persons with egg allergy. Availability of a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved intradermally administered influenza vaccine formulation for adults 18 through 64 years of age is reported. For issues related to influenza vaccination that are not addressed in this update, refer to CDC. Prevention and control of influenza with vaccines. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2010. MMWR 2010;59(No. RR-8) and associated updates.
2011-2012 Influenza Vaccine Information Statements
July 27, 2011 -- The new Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) for Influenza are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These VIS updates were posted on the CDC website on July 26, 2011. The only major change from last year (on the Trivalent Influenza Vaccine [TIV] VIS only) is the addition of a note in the "risks" section about concurrent administration of TIV and PCV13 and febrile seizures. References to H1N1 were removed from both VIS. The TIV "Large Print" edition is also available for 2011-2012.
Vaccine Information Statements are information sheets produced by the CDC that explain to vaccine recipients, their parents, or their legal representatives both the benefits and risks of a vaccine. Federal law requires that VIS be handed out (before each dose, when certain vaccinations are given.
Print-ready files can be found on the CDC's VIS website.
These new VIS have been integrated into the Florida SHOTS™ (State Health Online Tracking System), so registry users can access them electronically.
Healthcare providers should periodically access the VIS electronically and print out a supply for routine distribution. Please, do not use seasonal flu VIS from last year. If necessary, bureau staff can FAX copies to providers without internet access.
Influenza Key Messaging Points – June 2011
July 12, 2011 -- To prepare for the upcoming influenza season, the Bureau of Immunization would like to share the vaccination messaging key points released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Early messaging should center around recommendations for vaccination, even though the vaccine composition has not changed this season.
Some highlights are presented below, but we ask that you read the Influenza Key Points carefully so that a unified message is shared with our immunization partners and to the public. The document also serves as a good starting point for public information officers who are crafting preseasonal influenza press releases.
There may be confusion regarding whether people who were vaccinated against influenza last season need flu vaccine this season since the vaccine composition for 2011-2012 remains the same as last season.
- The CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine as the first and best way to protect against influenza. This recommendation is the same even during years when the vaccine composition (the viruses the vaccine protects against) remains unchanged from the previous season.
- This fall, everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated against the flu as soon as 2011-2012 influenza vaccines become available, even if they got vaccinated last season.
There may be questions about the timing of vaccination in light of waning immunity.
- Several studies conducted over different flu seasons and involving different influenza viruses and types of flu vaccine have shown that a person’s protection against influenza viruses declines over the course of a year after vaccination, particularly in the elderly. So, a flu shot given during one season may not provide adequate protection through later seasons.
- This decline in protection has the potential to leave some people more vulnerable to infection, illness and possibly serious complications from the same influenza viruses a year after being vaccinated.
- So, for optimal protection against influenza, annual vaccination is recommended regardless of strain changes.
For more information and to receive updated press releases, please visit the CDC's Influenza Website at www.cdc.gov/flu.
