Health Officials Express Concern That Public Might Be Complacent About Immunization As Influenza Season Nears

Alabama Nurse,  Dec 2003-Feb 2004  

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Many More Flu-Linked Deaths Than Thought: Vaccination Rates Among High-Risk Fall Short of Healthy People 2010 Goals - Older Americans Also Urged to Receive Pneumococcal Vaccine -

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leading medical and public health officials called for renewed vigilance against an old killer - influenza - which continues to kill an average of approximately 36,000 Americans and results in the hospitalization of more than 114,000 Americans per year. At a press conference held in the nation's capital by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and National Coalition for Adult Immunization (NCAI), Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other experts underscored the severity of influenza and urged Americans to get immunized.

"It is simply unacceptable that such a large number of people continue to die and suffer as a result of influenza," said Dr. Gerberding. "Getting an influenza vaccination every year is the best protection against influenza. We encourage Americans, particularly those 50 and older and people of any age with chronic conditions of the heart or lungs, diabetes or kidney disease, to get be immunized against pneumococcal disease - a shot recommended for people age 65 or older and for younger people with chronic medical conditions. Pneumococcal vaccination with the polysaccharide vaccine is appropriate at any time of the year, and can be administered at the same time as the influenza vaccine.

Mild Flu Seasons Might Contribute to Public Complacency

Public health officials said the mild flu seasons during the past two years might result in public complacency.

"Even relatively mild flu seasons cause thousands of vaccine-preventable deaths," said Dr. Gerberding. "The severity of influenza outbreaks cannot be predicted. We must assume that every season will be severe. Influenza immunization just makes sound medical sense."

Estimates of Flu-Related Deaths Revised Upward/Vaccination Coverage Falls Short of Healthy People 2010 Goals

Influenza claims far more lives in the United States than previously thought - an annual average of 36,000 deaths per year from 1990 through 1999, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).1 By using a new, more accurate method to analyze flu data, the study showed a marked increase in mortality related to influenza over the 20-year study period, mostly among seniors.

For the 2000-01 season, the estimated vaccination coverage among adults aged 18-64 years with high-risk conditions was 29 percent, substantially lower than the Healthy People 2000 and 2010 objective of 60 percent. Among persons aged 50 to 64 and as well as those under age 50 with chronic medical conditions, only 41 percent and 21 percent, respectively, were vaccinated against influenza.

Oldest and Youngest at Special Risk

"One reason for the rise in mortality may be the aging of the U.S. population - a group that has been steadily growing," suggested Nancy Cox, PhD, a co-investigator of the JAMA study and chief of the CDC's Influenza Branch.

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all people age 50 or older and those with certain chronic medical conditions.

At the other end of the age spectrum, children are receiving new attention for influenza immunization. The American Academy of Pediatrics, CDC and others now encourage healthy children 6 to 23 months old to be vaccinated as they are at a heightened risk of hospitalization from flu-related complications.

New fears have also emerged from recent surveillance data, which shows older, healthy children may be in danger of complications from influenza. A study of the last flu season in the state of Michigan documented 10 cases of serious influenza-related illness and four influenza-related deaths among those under age 21. None of the victims had known risk factors, Dr. Cox said.

New Study Shows Flu Vaccine Reduces Hospitalizations and Death Among Seniors

According to a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, influenza vaccine reduces the risk of hospitalization for cardiac disease and stroke for people aged 65 or older.

The study found immunization reduces seniors' risk of being hospitalized for heart disease by 19 percent and stroke by 16 to 23 percent. It also showed a flu shot reduces the risk of death from all causes by nearly 50 percent.

"These data have important public health implications and support stepped-up efforts to promote vaccination in our expanding older age groups," concluded Kristin L. Nichol, MD, MPH, MBA, the study's lead investigator.

Dr. Nichol also reminded Americans that annual flu vaccination appointments are a convenient, critical time for atrisk people be immunized against pneumococcal disease-a shot recommended for people age 65 or older and for younger people with chronic medical conditions. Pneumococcal disease is responsible for approximately 175,000 hospitalizations.

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