Seasonal Influenza 2008 - 2009

ALA Faces of Influenza    |    CDC: Influenza    |    AMA: Influenza
National Influenza Vaccine Week    |    National Influenza Vaccine Summit

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CDC’s Advisory Committee Recommends Influenza Vaccination for Children 6 months through 18 years of age²

A panel of immunization experts voted to expand the recommended ages for annual influenza vaccination of children to include all children from 6 months through 18 years of age. The previous recommendation was for vaccination of children from 6 months to 59 months of age. The expanded recommendation is to take effect as soon as feasible, but no later than the 2009 – 2010 influenza season.

Updated influenza vaccination recommendations for children and adolescents aged 6 months to 18 years are as follows:

• Before or during the 2008 to 2009 influenza season, if feasible, but no later than during the 2009 to 2010 influenza season, vaccination should begin of all children aged 6 months to 18 years. Vaccination of all children aged 5 to 18 years is a new ACIP recommendation.
  
  
• As providers and programs make the transition to routinely vaccinate all children and adolescents, children and adolescents at high risk for influenza complications should continue to be a focus of vaccination efforts. For these children, recommendations have not changed. Conditions putting children and adolescents at higher risk for influenza complication are as follows:
  
  
• Ages 6 months to 4 years.
  
  
• Chronic disorders of the pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except for hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematologic, or metabolic (including diabetes mellitus) systems.
  
  
• Immunosuppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV.
  
  
• Cognitive impairment, spinal cord trauma, seizure, or other neuromuscular disorders that could impair respiratory tract function or the handling of respiratory tract secretions or that could increase the risk for aspiration.
  
  
• Use of long-term aspirin therapy increasing the risk for Reye's syndrome after influenza virus infection.
  
  
• Residence in chronic-care facilities.
  
  

Read the full article from the CDC

Improving Rates of Influenza Vaccination Among Healthcare Workers: Educate; Motivate; Mandate?³

Thomas R. Talbot, MD, MPH

From the Departments of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

In 2005, only 33.5% of US healthcare workers (HCWs) had received an influenza vaccination during the previous year, a figure that has unfortunately plateaued. These stagnant rates have led many groups of medical professionals to emphasize the importance of influenza vaccination for HCWs and to call for new measures to improve HCW vaccination rates. Many successful strategies have been used to improve HCW influenza vaccination rates, and an effective influenza vaccination program for HCWs must be a multifaceted endeavor that includes support from institutional leaders, and it must undergo regular assessment to determine gaps in coverage to identify misperceptions about vaccination and to evaluate the program's overall effectiveness.

In this issue of the journal, studies by Ofstead and Poland emphasize the importance of continued assessment of HCW vaccination programs. Both studies were conducted at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, an institution noted for its successful vaccination campaign. Since 2000, influenza vaccination has been provided to HCWs for free and delivered via on-site clinics and a peer vaccination program, as well as at the employee health center. An incentive program and enhanced education strategies were implemented in 2002, leading to increased vaccination rates. In 2003, the institution broadened access to vaccination, emphasized the rationale for vaccination, and developed a program of influenza vaccination advocates who served as a resource for education. Following the 2003-2004 influenza season, HCW vaccination rates reached 77%.

Read the full article

Learn more about BD's involvement in the prevention, diagnosis, and care of influenza.

• Flu Information for Consumers
• Flu Information for Clinicians

¹ Myths and Facts, American Lung Association, Faces of Influenza campaign
² CDC.gov
³ Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, Vol. 29, No. 2