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Who Gets Flu Shots?

October 6, 2004
Federal and state health officials are revising their flu shot recommendations, following the loss of half of the anticipated U.S. supply of vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the remaining supply of U.S. vaccine is now about 54 million doses, and that 30 million of those have already been distributed.

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CDC was notified by Chiron Corporation this week that none of its influenza vaccine (Fluvirin) would be available for distribution in the United States for the 2004-05 influenza season

Because of the unexpected situation, CDC is issuing interim recommendations that take precedence over earlier recommendations.

Health officials now say not everyone should get a flu shot this year, while others definitely should. They are identified as all children between six and 23 months in age, adults 65 and older, people between two and 64 with chronic medical conditions, all women who will be pregnant during flu season, residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, children between six months and 18 years old on chronic aspirin therapy, health-care workers with direct patient care contact, and out-of-home caregivers.

Several million does of nasal spray vaccine are also available, and health officials recommend that for healthy persons age five to 49 who are not pregnant, and many children who have already had a flu shot but may need a second vaccination.

"Persons who are not included in one of the priority groups," the CDC says, "should be informed about the urgent vaccine supply situation and asked to forego or defer vaccination" to preserve the dwindling supply for those in greater need.

Many people should not get a flu shot under any circumstances. They include those with a severe allergy to hens' eggs and people who previously developed Guillain-Barre syndrome six weeks after getting a flu shot.

U.S. officials had been counting on Chiron to supply 48 million out of 100 million doses of vaccine this year, and the U.S. Government is already a week into a campaign to urge Americans to get vaccinated against flu, which kills 36,000 people in the United States and 500,000 worldwide in an average season.

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