For Immediate Release:
November 29, 2006

Contact:
Nanci Gonder
Office of Public Information
573-751-6062

Get Flu Vaccine Through December, January, and February for Protection

Flu vaccine will be plentiful this year, and people should take the opportunity to be immunized. “It is important for people to protect not only themselves but also their loved ones from the flu now,” said Sue Denny, Influenza Coordinator for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The CDC has announced National Influenza Vaccination Week, November 27 through December 3. This event is designed to raise awareness of the importance of continuing flu vaccination, as well as foster greater use of flu vaccine through the months of November, December and beyond. CDC is recommending that people take this opportunity to be vaccinated and is hopeful that flu vaccine providers will use this time to enhance flu vaccine availability by scheduling additional clinics; extending clinic hours; and enabling a larger role for mass vaccination at places such as retail locations.

“We usually do not see significant numbers of flu cases in Missouri until late December,” said Denny, “and the season doesn’t peak until January or February. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to take effect, so there is plenty of time to get the vaccine and be protected.”

Manufacturers project that 115 million doses of flu vaccine will be available this year, the most that has ever been produced. They predict that there will be enough vaccine for everyone who would like to get it. There are four manufacturers of injectable vaccine. In addition, FluMist, a vaccine administered as a nasal spray, is available for healthy people between 5 and 49 years old.

A number of groups of people should be sure they get the flu vaccine:

• persons at high risk for influenza-related complications and severe disease, including
  - children aged 6-59 months,
  - pregnant women,
  - persons 50 years of age and older,
  - persons of any age with certain chronic medical conditions; and
• persons who live with or care for persons at high risk, including
  - household contacts who have frequent contact with persons at high risk and who can transmit influenza to those persons at high risk, and
  - health-care workers.

Those at high risk for influenza-related complications should check with their doctors to see if they need a pneumococcal vaccine, which can be given at the same time as the flu shot.  Pneumococcal pneumonia is a frequent complication of influenza for high-risk people. Generally, a one-time shot is all that is needed for protection.

For more information contact your physician, your local health department, or the immunization program at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services at 573-751-6124. Information on flu shot clinics statewide is available from the American Lung Association at www.flucliniclocator.org. For clinics sponsored by the Kansas City Health Department, check http://www.kcmo.org/health.nsf/web/fluclinics or call 816-513-6358. For clinics throughout the St. Louis area, check http://www.stlouisco.com/doh/flushots2006.html or call 314-644-4358.