WASHINGTON - Of 400 United States physicians surveyed online, 95% said they have received flu vaccinations for the 2010-2011 flu season or plan to do so, according to data collected by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
These results are encouraging, because they show that more physicians are practicing what they preach about flu vaccination, Dr. William Schaffner, president of the NFID, said at a press conference on influenza.
"I am optimistic that we are becoming a culture of prevention," Dr. Schaffner said.
"Plenty of flu vaccine is anticipated for this year," along with a plentiful supply of antiviral medication, he emphasized, and vaccines are available at pharmacies as well as doctors’ offices.
"Flu vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against the flu," said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every year thousands of Americans die from influenza, he said. For the 2010-2011 flu season, the CDC recommends universal vaccination for everyone aged 6 months and older. Several vaccination options are available, including a flu shot, a nasal spray, and a high-dose vaccine for older adults, Dr. Frieden said.
View a video interview with Dr. Jernigan.
Dr. Daniel Jernigan, deputy director of the influenza division in the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said that this year’s vaccine contains antibodies against three flu viruses: influenza B, influenza A (H3N2), and influenza A(H1N1). Approximately 119 million doses of 2010-2011 flu vaccine already have been distributed in the United States, with a total of 160 million doses anticipated, Dr. Jernigan said. There is no need for a separate H1N1 vaccine this year, he noted.
So far this year, the H3N2 virus has been the most commonly seen, said Dr. Jernigan. Although children were disproportionately affected by the 2009 H1N1 virus, "When H3N2 is dominant, we see more illness in children and older adults," he said.
Another important reason to vaccinate children is that they are incredibly efficient at spreading the flu – to their peers, family members, and other close contacts, said Dr. Judith S. Palfrey, past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"Pediatricians can play a critical role," Dr. Palfrey emphasized. "In a recent NFID consumer survey of mothers, nearly 7 in 10 mothers said their child’s pediatrician was the first person they would turn to for information about influenza and vaccination."
Dr. Palfrey added that children under 9 years of age who have never been vaccinated against the flu should receive two doses this year, given at about four weeks apart. One dose is sufficient for previously vaccinated children, she said. A complete algorithm for childhood vaccination is available at the American Academy of Pediatrics website.
More information about this year’s flu vaccine is available at the CDC’s flu website, cdc.gov/flu.
Although flu vaccination is recommended for most individuals, some people should not receive the flu vaccine. According to the CDC, individuals who are allergic to eggs or who have had a history of severe reaction to an influenza vaccination should not be vaccinated, nor should anyone who has developed Guillian-Barr? syndrome within 6 weeks of receiving an influenza vaccine. Those with a moderate to severe illness that includes a fever should wait until they recover before getting vaccinated. And children younger than 6 months of age should not receive any type of flu vaccine.
The press conference was sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases in partnership with the National Influenza Vaccine Summit. It was supported in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by unrestricted educational grants to the NFID from Flu Vaccine Business Practices Initiative (c/o HIDA), Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, MedImmune, Merck and Co., Novartis Vaccines, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, and Walgreens.