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October 9, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"CDC Urges Flu, Pneumococcal Shots for Seniors"

Reuters Health Information Services (www.reutershealth.com) (10/07/02); Ault, Alicia

U.S. government officials recommended on Monday that everyone over 65 years of age should get vaccinated against influenza now, and they should also consider getting a pneumococcal shot if they have not already received one.  Surgeon General Richard Carmona pointed out that vaccines are both effective and cost-effective, noting that every year $10 billion is spent treating adults for vaccine-preventable illnesses.  Dr. Walter Orenstein, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Program, also stressed that people cannot contract the flu from the vaccine.  At this time, he said that anyone over 65 years of age, health care workers, people between six months of age and 64 years who are at high-risk for infectious disease, and healthy children between six months and 23 months should get vaccinated against the flu.

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