Announcement: National Influenza Vaccination Week --- December 5--11, 2010

Announcement: National Influenza Vaccination Week --- December 5--11, 2010
Weekly
December 3, 2010 / 59(47);1556


Each year, National Influenza Vaccination Week highlights the importance of influenza vaccination and the need for persons to receive influenza vaccination during the influenza season (October--May). Influenza vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza and its potentially severe complications (1).

This year, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends influenza vaccination for all persons aged ≥6 months (2). Approximately 160 million doses of influenza vaccine have been distributed in the United States, the most ever for a single influenza season. Throughout the week of December 5--11, 2010, National Influenza Vaccination Week will reinforce the ACIP universal recommendation and continue to emphasize the need for vaccination among persons in certain groups, including those at greater risk for influenza and for serious complications from influenza infection. During the week, CDC will focus on groups including pregnant women, children, caregivers of infants aged <6 months, older adults, health-care workers, and persons with chronic health conditions (particularly those with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, kidney and liver disorders, neurologic and neurodevelopmental conditions, blood disorders, morbid obesity, human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or cancer).

Resources and materials to promote influenza vaccination education and awareness are available at
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources. Additional information regarding National Influenza Vaccination Week is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/nivw.

References

1. Cox NJ, Subbarao K. Influenza. Lancet 1999;354:1277--82.
2. CDC. Prevention and control of influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2010. MMWR 2010;59(No. RR-8)[Prevention and Control of Influenza with Vaccines].

Announcement: National Influenza Vaccination Week --- December 5--11, 2010