Enough Flu Vaccine This Year

August 26, 2003
Sufficient supplies of flu vaccine should be available during the coming influenza season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts that everyone wanting to get a flu shot to avoid influenza, regardless of age or health status, should be able to get vaccinated as soon as vaccine becomes available in October.

CDC estimates that vaccine manufactures will produce approximately 85.5 million doses of influenza vaccine during the 2003 influenza season. This projection represents 9.5 million fewer doses than were produced last year. However, influenza vaccine production is expected to exceed the estimated 79 million doses that were actually sold to providers in 2002.

"Influenza vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza and its severe complications," said Dr. Walter Orenstein, director of the CDC National Immunization Program. "The best time to be vaccinated against influenza continues to be October and November. However, vaccination in December or later can still be beneficial."

Although anyone who wishes to avoid influenza should be vaccinated, CDC strongly recommends influenza vaccination as soon as vaccine is available for any person who is 6-months old or older and is at increased risk for complications from influenza.

Those at highest risk for complications from influenza include people 65-years old and older, those with chronic, long-term health problems such as heart or lung disease, kidney problems, diabetes, asthma, anemia, HIV/AIDS or any other illness that suppress the immune system. CDC also recommends vaccination for people age 50 to 64 years because this group has an increased prevalence among those with high risk conditions. In addition, healthcare workers and others in close contact with those at high risk should be vaccinated in order to reduce the possibility of transmitting influenza to those at high risk.

Because young children also are at increased risk of influenza-related complications, vaccination of children 6 to 23 months old, their household contacts and out-of-home caregivers are encouraged to be vaccinated against influenza.

"Protect yourself and those you love against influenza," Orenstein said. "Get your influenza vaccine."