Vaccine Supply
Updated Oct 7, 2004
Why is there a shortfall in flu vaccine for this season?
On October 5, 2004 , CDC was notified by Chiron Corporation that none of its influenza vaccine (Fluvirin®) would be available for distribution in the United States for the 2004–05 influenza season. The company indicated that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom , where Chiron’s Fluvirin vaccine is produced, has suspended the company’s license to manufacture Fluvirin vaccine in its Liverpool facility for 3 months, preventing any release of this vaccine for this influenza season. This action will reduce by approximately one half the expected supply of trivalent inactivated vaccine (flu shot) available in the United States for the 2004–05 influenza season.
Updated Oct 20, 2004
How much flu vaccine will be available in the United States this season?
About 58 million flu shots will be available in the United States this season. About 2 million doses of LAIV will be available in the United States this season.
Updated Oct 8, 2004
Does CDC recommend using partial doses of influenza vaccine?
No. CDC does not advise using partial doses of recommended dosages of inactivated influenza vaccine (flu shot) either for persons at high risk for complications from influenza or for healthy persons, including health-care workers. There are no data on whether partial doses of the current 2004-05 vaccine would provide an adequate antibody response. Some studies have been done to assess the antibody response to one-half of the normal dose of inactivated influenza vaccine in healthy adults aged 18-49 years; however, the vaccine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use at this reduced dose.
An alternative to the flu shot is an intranasally administered, live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). If available, LAIV should be encouraged for use by healthy, non-pregnant persons 5 – 49 years of age, including most health-care workers, those who have contact with persons in high-risk groups, such as persons with lesser degrees of immunosuppression (e.g., persons with diabetes, persons with asthma taking corticosteroids, persons infected with HIV), and persons caring for children younger than 6 months of age. The only health-care workers for whom inactivated vaccine (flu shot) is preferred are those who have contact with severely immunosuppressed patients, such as bone marrow transplant recipients, who are under treatment in special isolation units. For more information about LAIV, see Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccine Recommendations and the questions and answers on nasal-spray flu vaccine (LAIV).
Vaccination
Updated Oct 19, 2004
Who should get vaccinated this season?
Because of a shortfall in flu vaccine (flu shot) production for this season, CDC is recommending that certain people be given priority for getting the flu shot. People in the following groups should seek vaccination this season:
- all children aged 6–23 months;
- adults aged 65 years and older;
- persons aged 2–64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions;
- all women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
- residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities;
- children aged 6 months–18 years on chronic aspirin therapy;
- health-care workers involved in direct patient care; and
- out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged <6 months.
These are people that are at high risk for serious flu complications or are in contact with people at high risk for serious flu complications.
Updated Oct 19, 2004
Who can receive the nasal-spray, live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) this season?
All healthy people 5 to 49 years of age who are not pregnant can get LAIV (sold commercially as FluMist®) this season. This includes most out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months of age and most health-care workers. The one exception is health-care workers who care for severely immunocompromised patients in special care units. For these health-care workers, the flu shot is preferred because of a theoretical risk of passing the weakened live virus in LAIV to severely immunocompromised patients. These health-care workers may still get LAIV, but they must avoid contact with severely immunocompromised patients for 7 days after getting LAIV.
Updated Oct 19, 2004
Is use of LAIV restricted to priority groups this season?
No. LAIV (sold commercially as FluMist®) can be used by all healthy people aged 5–49 years who are not pregnant. However, FluMist is a good option for health-care workers and out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months of age who are in the priority groups recommended for vaccination this season.
Updated Oct 19, 2004
Can some people in priority groups get LAIV?
Yes. Vaccination with LAIV is an option for healthy persons aged 5-49 years who are caregivers of children less than 6 months of age and for health-care workers involved in direct patient care. (If a health-care worker receives LAIV, that worker should refrain from contact with severely immunosuppressed patients in special care units for 7 days after vaccination.)
Updated Oct 19, 2004
Can health-care workers get LAIV?
Yes. Health-care workers who are h ealthy, less than 49 years of age, and are not pregnant can get LAIV (sold commercially as FluMist®) . The one exception is health-care workers who care for severely immunocompromised patients in special care units. For these health-care workers, the flu shot is preferred because of a theoretical risk of passing the weakened live virus in LAIV to severely immunocompromised patients. These health-care workers may still get LAIV, but they must avoid contact with severely immunocompromised patients in special care units for 7 days after receiving LAIV.
Updated Oct 19, 2004
What health conditions qualify as “underlying chronic medical conditions” as outlined in this year’s flu vaccination recommendations?
As outlined by CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), chronic conditions that place people at increased risk from serious influenza-related complications include:
- chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma
- metabolic disease (like diabetes)
- kidney disease
- blood disorders (like sickle cell anemia)
- weakened immune system (including people with HIV/AIDS)
Updated Oct 19, 2004
What if I have a medical condition that is not on this list?
Questions regarding whether your specific medical condition might place you at high risk for severe complications from influenza infection should be directed to your health care provider.
Updated Oct 19, 2004
Who qualifies as a “household contact” of children less than 6 months of age?
Household contacts refer to people living in the same home as the infant. This would include parents, siblings or anyone living under the same roof.
Updated Oct 19, 2004
Who qualifies as an “out-of-home caregiver” for children less than 6 months of age?
Out-of-home caregivers include people with direct, hands-on or face-to-face contact with an infant less than 6 months of age. This includes day-care workers and babysitters, for example.
Updated Oct 19, 2004
The interim flu vaccination recommendations for this season state that "health-care workers involved in direct patient care" should get vaccinated. How is "direct patient care" defined?
"Direct patient care" is defined as having direct, hands-on, or face-to-face contact with patients as part of routine daily activities. This includes staff like doctors, nurses, and other health-care workers who care for patients, as well as staff like paramedics and triage receptionists who are physically located in places such as emergency rooms and clinics where they have frequent face-to-face contact with patients. It might also include police or other persons (e.g., volunteers) who are working routinely in health-care settings and have hands-on or face-to-face contact with patients, but does not include staff working primarily in office settings where patients are not present, even if the office is located in a hospital or clinic. It is important to remember that the primary reason for vaccinating persons involved in "direct patient care" is to prevent transmission of influenza from such persons to those at high risk for complications from influenza.
Updated Oct 7, 2004
Will this season’s vaccine be a good match for circulating influenza viruses?
Most of the influenza viruses that have been isolated so far in the United States are well matched to the strains contained in this year's vaccine. For the most current CDC information regarding influenza viruses circulating in the United States, please refer to the CDC Weekly Surveillance Report.
Prevention
Updated Oct 7, 2004
What are other steps that can be taken to prevent the flu?
There are other good health habits that can help prevent the flu. These are:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
- If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
- Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Also, antiviral medications may be used to prevent the flu.
Flu Season Characteristics
What sort of flu season is expected this year?
Influenza (flu) seasons are unpredictable. Although epidemics of flu happen in most years, the beginning, severity, and length of the epidemic can vary widely from year to year. Before a season begins, it is not possible to accurately predict the features of any season.
Will new strains of influenza virus circulate this season?
Influenza viruses are constantly changing so it's not unusual for new strains of influenza virus to emerge at any time of the year. As of mid-September, most of the influenza viruses detected in the United States were well matched to this season’s vaccine. For more information about how influenza viruses change, visit How the Flu Virus Can Change - "Drift" and "Shift".
What has influenza virus surveillance found so far this season?
As of mid-September, laboratories had reported a small number of samples positive for both influenza A and B viruses in the United States . This finding is not unusual. Sporadic influenza infections and even some outbreaks are reported throughout the summer.
|
