It s official: The flu season is upon us, and ACSH would like to join the ranks of other leading health organizations in encouraging everyone over the age of six months to get their flu vaccine as early as possible.
And for those of you who may think that you needn t worry about getting immunized, given last year s mild flu season, we d like to remind you that the CDC reports that influenza-associated deaths range from 3,000 to nearly 50,000 each year. And, unfortunately, last year s vaccine will not offer much (if any) protection against this year s flu virus.
It s pretty disappointing, then, to learn that only 42 percent of the U.S. population received a flu vaccine last season that s well below the target rates of 80 percent and 90 percent for those between six months and 65 years and those over 65, respectively.
But perhaps even more concerning are the dismal flu vaccination rates among health care workers, who are tasked with ensuring the health and safety of our nation s most vulnerable population. According to a new CDC report released yesterday, only 67 percent of health care personnel were immunized last season, which is quite short of the nation s 90 percent goal. An editorial in today s New York Times is even calling for the mandatory vaccination of all health care personnel, either through state laws or employer enforcement. ACSH staffers couldn t be more on board with such a policy.
If people have personal objections to getting vaccinated, that s OK, says ACSH s Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. They just shouldn t be working in a hospital or clinic setting with direct patient contact. Though they have every right to expose themselves, and even their family members, to preventable illness, they do not have the right to expose the vulnerable patients with whom they come in contact.
