Flu Season’s Around the Corner: It’s Almost Time to Vaccinate Your High-Risk Patients
[Posted 09/29/05]

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) project that this season’s influenza vaccine supply will be adequate, with 71-97 million doses expected to be available. Althought health officials do not anticipate a vaccine shortage this year, physicians are still asked to first vaccinate their high-risk patients, including Hurricane Katrina survivors living in shelters. CDC officials have asked physicians to wait until October 24 to vaccinate their healthy patients, giving high-risk patients the chance to be inoculated first.

Patients of all ages with conditions that put them at an increased risk of influenza-related complications, and those over age 65, are considered high risk. Family members, caregivers, and other people in close contact with high-risk individuals should also be vaccinated to reduce the odds of passing influenza to someone for whom it can be life threatening.

Click here for a patient self-assessment checklist to identify high-risk patients.

CMA and the California Adult Immunization Coalition also encourage physicians, nurses, and other health care workers who have close contact with high-risk individuals to get a flu shot to reduce the odds of passing influenza to someone for whom it can be life threatening. Unfortunately, studies show that only 38 percent of health workers receive an annual flu shot.

Contact: Robin Flagg, 415/882-5110 or rflagg@cmanet.org.