Questions & Answers

2010-11 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Updates

Vaccine Availability

Where can I find seasonal influenza vaccine?

2010-11 flu vaccine shipments have begun. Doctors and nurses are encouraged to begin vaccinating their patients as soon as flu vaccine is available in their area, even as early as August. See your doctor or nurse to get the flu vaccine, or seek out other locations where vaccine is being offered. The following flu clinic locator is a useful tool for finding vaccine in your area.

Vaccination Protection

Will this year"e;s vaccine protect me against the flu?

The flu vaccine protects against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season. This yeara??s influenza vaccine contains three new influenza virus strains.

They are:

• A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus (the same strain as was used for 2009 H1N1 monovalent vaccines);
• A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus;
• B/Brisbane 60/2008-like antigens.

The 2010-11 influenza vaccine can protect you from getting sick from these three viruses, or it can make your illness milder if you get a related but different influenza virus strain.

For more information about the effectiveness of flu vaccine, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm

For more information about how the viruses in the vaccine are selected, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/virusqa.htm

Who should get vaccinated this season?

On February 24, 2010 vaccine experts voted that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year starting with the 2010-2011 influenza season. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted for "universal" flu vaccination in the U.S. to expand protection against the flu to more people.

While everyone should get a flu vaccine each flu season, ita??s especially important that the following groups get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications:

• Pregnant women
• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• People 50 years of age and older
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
  • Health care workers
  • Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
  • Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)