The annual influenza vaccination previously was suggested for children two years and above. Bringing down the recommended age this year would result in increasing the target base by about 30 million. However, there would be no dearth of vaccines this time, with the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention already catering to 143 million doses to cover up the swell.
Director, Dr. Julie Gerberding while addressing a press briefing in Washington, D.C. said, “The shots will save lives as well as prevent headaches with cranky children.”
She further added that the influenza vaccine not only saved lives by helping to prevent flu but also by preventing the serious complications that sometimes resulted from infection with influenza.
Every parent will vouch for the fact that youngsters are store houses of germs. In spite of all the courtesy’s you teach them, it takes them years before they stop picking their noses and start covering their coughs and sneezes or washing their hands.
While they rarely fall ill themselves, it is the bigger populace that falls prey. This implies that reduction in the age of taking a flu shot could have the added benefit of shielding the entire community if less influenza viruses get passed on.
The influence of young children and flu is so widespread that, for every 1 percent increase in the child population infected with flu, there is a 4 percent increase in adult flu cases.
This however does not imply that areas without kids are sheltered from flu. It just connotes that they come into contact with flu later and at reduced rates. These statistics were revealed by study co-author John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Children's Hospital Boston.
As per previous records, flu kills about 36,000 Americans annually and sends 200,000 for hospitalization. The dead mainly include the elderly, but last year 86 school children were also included in the list of deceased. Those hospitalized mainly included infants and toddlers.
As on date, about 85% of the American population is eligible for the vaccination. In spite of the fact that the shots were free through Medicare, 33% of the seniors failed to take them during the year 2006-07.
Also, 63 % of the people in the age group of 50-64 failed in their medical responsibility and even four out of five children between the ages of 23 months and six years were not fully vaccinated. The rate of vaccination for the health workers was also only 42%.
Dr. Daniel Jernigan, deputy director of the CDC's influenza division, said that he was positive that the vaccine produced for the approaching season would be on target. He stated that vaccines were formulated based on three viral strains which mostly cause the disease.
He said that even though two of the three components did not match well last year, the matches for the effectiveness had been quite accurate over the past years.
Since some protection is better than no protection, scientists are urging Americans to get their children from age 6 months to 18 years vaccinated against flu. Research is in progress to see if higher doses or adding immune-boosting compounds will help.
Dr. Julie Gerberding concluded her study presentation with the closing remark that for most people, the message was to get their young children flu shots.
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