National Influenza Vaccination Week Is Dec. 8-14

Elderly patients and small children, who are at especially high risk for complications from influenza, could be exposed to the illness during holiday gatherings, warn public health officials. That is part of the reason why the CDC is encouraging physicians to continue providing influenza immunizations through "December and beyond."

To highlight the need to continue immunizing patients against influenza, the CDC has designated Dec. 8-14 as National Influenza Vaccination Week. Dec. 9 is Children's Vaccination Day, and Dec. 11 is Seniors' Vaccination Day.

Dec. 12 will focus on influenza immunization of health care workers -- another group CDC officials have targeted for vaccination because of the risk of disease transmission to vulnerable patients. To drive that point home, CDC will host an hour-long CME netconference on the topic beginning at 2 p.m. ET that day. Clinicians may register for the event online. Registration closes Dec. 10 or when the course is full.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, released its influenza immunization recommendations for the 2008-09 season, which were adopted by the AAFP, in July. In those recommendations, ACIP said that in more than 80 percent of influenza seasons since 1976, flu activity did not peak until January or later. In more than 60 percent of those years, the peak was in February or later.

ACIP said that to avoid missed opportunities for vaccination, physicians should offer influenza immunizations during routine health care visits or during hospitalizations whenever vaccine is available. The advisory committee also said vaccination efforts should continue throughout the season because the duration of each influenza season varies, and the illness might not appear in some communities until March.

"Vaccine administered in December or later, even if influenza activity has already begun, is likely to be beneficial in the majority of influenza seasons," the advisory committee said. "The majority of adults have antibody protection against influenza virus infection within two weeks after vaccination."

A schedule of National Influenza Vaccination Week events and resources for health care professionals are available on the CDC's Web site.

The 2008-09 season marks the third annual National Influenza Vaccination Week. According to the CDC, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from complications of influenza each year in the United States, and about 36,000 people die from the illness.