Immunization Coalition Offers Online Videos on Influenza, Vaccination

The Childhood Influenza Immunization Coalition, or CIIC, has posted new influenza vaccination videos aimed at family physicians and other health care professionals, as well as videos intended for patients and their caregivers, on its Web site.

The 10 short videos for health care professionals each feature an immunization expert -- all of them coalition members -- answering a particular question about influenza immunization. Here's a sampling of those questions.

The site also features 16 short videos aimed at families and caregivers. In these videos, coalition experts answer basic questions about influenza, its impact and how to prevent it. Another video on the site offers an overview of essential information, including the seriousness of influenza and the importance of annual vaccination against the disease.

Family physicians and other clinicians may want to consider steering their patients to these and other information resources, including an online "Flu Risk Calculator," provided on the CIIC site. Clinicians also can check out an "Influenza Vaccine Algorithm" developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help health care professionals determine the number and timing of vaccine doses needed to protect patients 6 months to 9 years of age from influenza. The algorithm is available as a PDF or in a Web-based interactive format.

Established by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, CIIC's mission is "to protect infants, children and adolescents from influenza by communicating with 'one strong voice' the need to make influenza immunization a national health priority."