Flu Prevention

Top 3 Reasons to Get Your Flu Vaccine

1. Prevents influenza-related death.
   Each year, over 36,000 people in the U.S. die because of the flu—most are 65 or older. More people die from flu than from any other vaccine-preventable disease.
2. Prevents severe illness.
   In the U.S., influenza puts about 200,000 people in the hospital each year. Children younger than two years old are as likely to be hospitalized as adults who are 65 or older.
3. Protects other people.
   You should get vaccinated if you live with or care for others who are at high risk of complications from the flu. Getting a flu vaccination yourself can help protect your family members, including seniors and young children.

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Flu News

IMPORTANT: Non-Safety Related Voluntary Recall of Specific Lots of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine Live, Intranasal

December 23, 2009 -- The Bureau of Immunization is forwarding this important vaccine recall information to our immunization partners. Please read the following information and guidance carefully. (Medimune Recall)

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IMPORTANT: Voluntary Recall of Sanofi Pasteur H1N1 Vaccine Lot Numbers

December 16, 2009 -- Sanofi Pasteur, Inc., has notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that routine testing of its pediatric H1N1 2009 monovalent vaccine in 0.25 ml syringes in four identified lots have been identified with lower antigen content than the specification limit. (H1N1 Recall)

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Novel H1N1 Influenza: Where to Get the Latest Updates

The Bureau of Immunization provides links to information regarding the novel H1N1 influenza vaccine and recommendations for vaccination. (Novel H1N1 Influenza Vaccine)

Novel H1N1 influenza information specific to Florida is available at the Department of Health’s novel H1N1 influenza website at www.MyFluSafety.com.

For complete information on novel H1N1 influenza visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1 and www.flu.gov.

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Updated: H1N1 Vaccine - Return Communication

December 22, 2009 -- The Bureau of Immunization is pleased to bring the following updated guidance document to the attention of our partners. (H1N1 Return Communication)

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National Influenza Vaccination Week

January 10-16, 2010

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the week of January 10-16, 2010, as National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW). This event highlights the importance of continuing influenza vaccination, as well as fosters greater use of flu vaccine after the holiday season into January and beyond. This year's NIVW (originally scheduled for December 6-10, 2009) is now rescheduled for January 10-16, 2010. (NIVW)

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Update on Expanded Use of CSL H1N1 Vaccine

December 11, 2009 -- This is updated information on the expanded use of CSL's H1N1 vaccine to persons 6 months of age and older. (CSL Update)

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Updated Guidance on CSL's Novel H1N1 Influenza Vaccine and Differentiating Between Seasonal and Novel H1N1 Influenza Live Attenuated Vaccine

November 23, 2009 -- This important update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information regarding the expanded Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the use of CSL’s novel H1N1 influenza vaccine to include children 6 months of age and older. (Updated Guidances)

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Effective Immediately: Updated Guidance on CSL's Novel H1N1 Influenza Vaccine

November 17, 2009 -- Updated Guidance for the Use of CSL’s 2009 H1N1 Monovalent Vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information regarding the expanded Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval for the use of CSL’s seasonal and novel H1N1 influenza vaccines to include children 6 months of age and older. (CSL Vaccines)

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Novel H1N1 Influenza Pandemic Update: Pneumococcal Vaccination Recommended to Help Prevent Secondary Infections

November 17, 2009 -- The Bureau of Immunization is pleased to bring to your attention the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Health Advisory, which reminds us that pneumococcal vaccines can prevent some very serious secondary bacterial infections following infection with influenza viruses. (Pneumococcal Recommendation)

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2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Information Statements - Spanish Translation

October 12, 2009 -- The Bureau of Immunization wishes to announce the availability of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) - Spanish translation. (VIS Translation)

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Vaccine Information Statements - 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Information Statements

October 6, 2009 -- The Bureau of Immunization wishes to announce the availability of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Information Statements (VIS). (H1N1 VIS)

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Interested in Administering Novel H1N1 Influenza Vaccine?

Register Today!

• Current Florida SHOTS users, please log onto Florida SHOTS and follow the directions for H1N1 registration.
• New applicants to be a H1N1 vaccine provider, please click here to start the process.
• Providers who have pre-registered can contact the Florida SHOTS enrollment desk at 1 (877) 888-7468 to request the status of your application.

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Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2009

August 12, 2009 -- On July 30, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2009.

This report updates the 2008 recommendations by the ACIP regarding the use of influenza vaccine for the prevention and control of seasonal influenza. Information on vaccination issues related to the recently identified novel H1N1 influenza will be published later in 2009. The 2009 seasonal influenza recommendations include new and updated information.

Highlights of the 2009 recommendations include:

• A recommendation that annual vaccination be administered to all children six months through 18 years of age for the 2009-2010 influenza season.
• A recommendation that vaccines containing the 2009-2010 trivalent vaccine virus strains A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like, and B/Brisbane/60/2008-like antigens be used.
• A notice that recommendations for influenza diagnosis and antiviral use will be published before the start of the 2009-2010 influenza season.

Vaccination efforts should begin as soon as vaccine is available and continue through the influenza season. 

The recommendations can be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5808a1.htm?s_cid=rr5808a1_e. 

Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Community

The novel H1N1 influenza vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine. It is intended to be used alongside seasonal flu vaccine to protect people.

Trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) can be used to reduce the risk for influenza virus infection and its complications. Vaccination providers should administer influenza vaccine to any person who wishes to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill with influenza or transmitting influenza to others should they become infected. However, emphasis on providing routine vaccination annually to certain groups at higher risk for influenza infection or complications is advised, including all children six months through 18 years of age, all persons 50 years of age and older, and other adults at risk for medical complications from influenza. In addition, all persons who live with or care for persons at high risk for influenza-related complications, including contacts of children less than six months of age, should receive influenza vaccine annually. Approximately 85% of the U.S. population is included in one or more of these target groups; however, less than 40% of the U.S. population received an influenza vaccination during the 2008-2009 influenza season.

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Vaccine Information Statements for Seasonal Influenza Vaccine

August 12, 2009 -- The 2009-2010 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) are now available at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm#flu. A VIS for a monovalent novel H1N1 influenza vaccine is in draft form, and will be published if or when such a vaccine is made available. This VIS cannot be completed until a vaccine exists and information about contraindications, adverse events, etc. is available.

Update: Vaccine Information Statements for Seasonal Influenza Vaccine

The Bureau of Immunization wishes to call your attention to the following announcement released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concerning the Influenza Vaccine Information Statements originally posted to the internet.

"The originally-posted version of both the TIV and LAIV seasonal influenza VISs contained an error. Section 3 of each VIS stated that the vaccine is indicated for household contacts and caregivers of children under five and adults 65 and older. The latter age should read '50' instead of '65’. This error has been fixed, and downloadable versions of both VISs are correct."

If you have downloaded these incorrect documents, please delete them from your files and replace them with the corrected documents from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm#flu, and destroy any which you may have printed to prevent inadvertent distribution of inaccurate flu VISs.

VISs 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 VISs be handed out before each dose of certain vaccines are given. Regularly check the VIS news page at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/vis-news.htm for updates. Healthcare providers can access VISs at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm and print out a supply for routine distribution. Given wider availability of VISs in electronic form for patients and other options that allow patients to get VISs without actually receiving individual paper copies, the CDC has updated instructions regarding provider responsibilities accordingly on their VIS Facts webpage at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/vis-facts.htm. The Immunization Action Coalition provides translations of VISs at www.immunize.org/vis/.

If your office cannot access the internet to download current VISs, contact the Bureau of Immunization at (850) 245-4342 and the bureau will FAX copies of the latest VIS to your office

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Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) News

April 29, 2009 -- The Bureau of Immunization requests that all providers read the following information carefully regarding Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) updates and development, released April 16, 2009, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Updated Pneumococcal Polysaccharide (PPSV23) VIS: The PPSV VIS has been updated, mainly to reflect new indications for smokers and adults with asthma, but also to get a general facelift.

2009-2010 Influenza VIS under development: For 2009-2010, the CDC is proposing a single influenza VIS that will cover both trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV ). It is being developed now, and will ideally be released at the same time as the 2009-2010 ACIP influenza recommendations.

Given the frequency with which VIS forms are updated, the ease of access to them on the internet and through the Florida State Health Online Tracking System (SHOTS), the requirement for healthcare providers to use only the current version, and the fiscal/temporal impracticality of having a consistently up-to-date supply available for the state, the Bureau of Immunization will neither print nor store any vaccine information statements in the State Distribution Center.  Healthcare providers should periodically access the VIS electronically and print out a supply for routine distribution.  If necessary, bureau staff can FAX copies to providers without internet access.

By Federal law, all vaccine providers must give patients, their parents, and/or legal representatives the appropriate VIS whenever a vaccination is given. As needed, providers should supplement VIS forms orally, with videotapes, with additional printed material, or in any other way that will help recipients understand the disease and vaccine. Sufficient time should be allotted to review the VIS and discuss:

• Benefits of the vaccines
• Diseases they prevent
• Any contraindications or possible known risks from the vaccines
• What to expect following the immunization

A contact number should be provided to the parent or guardian in the event there are questions or medical concerns.

For the latest information concerning VIS updates, visit the CDC's VIS News website. Many VIS forms are available in other languages. As new editions are translated, they are posted on the Immunization Action Coalition's website.