As the new year begins and influenza season starts, now is a good time to reflect on what we’ve achieved and what we still need to do to protect children from influenza.
Influenza vaccination rates are slowly but steadily increasing across the United States, particularly among children. This is welcome news after years of stressing the importance of annual influenza vaccination, and it underscores the efforts of the entire immunization community, especially those who work with patients each day.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza vaccination rates in children through age 17 years increased last season to 51%, a 7% increase from the previous season. Also, racial and ethnic gaps are closing in children. Coverage for Hispanic children was 55%; in black children it was 51%, and in white children it was 49%. So far this season, we are on track to continue this upward progress.
By Dr. Carol J. Baker
Increased consumer demand for the vaccine is one reason we’re doing better, but another important factor is more proactive messages coming from health care providers. As someone who has long advocated that the health care community make their recommendations very clear, I find this trend to be extremely gratifying.
But it’s not time to celebrate yet. Despite progress, we still have a long way to go to achieve our public health goal of protecting all children against influenza. Of particular concern are children aged 13-17 years, who have the lowest vaccination rates, reaching only 35% last season.
Although we may not always realize it, our recommendations matter to parents, and they expect us to give them clear and concise medical advice. They may need to hear it many times before it sinks in. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) research has revealed some lingering misconceptions among parents about influenza and vaccination. Health care professionals can obtain tools to help educate parents about the following topics and more:
• Flu vaccines are safe and effective. The injectable influenza vaccine is safe for infants and children aged 6 months and older, and it has very few side effects. The influenza vaccine has been reported to be 70%-90% effective in preventing influenza and reducing the severity of the virus in healthy young people.
• Vaccines take time to work. Only 37% of parents know that it takes about 2 weeks after vaccination to become protected against influenza. This is one important reason to stress getting vaccinated as soon as vaccine is available. It also explains why some people mistakenly believe that the vaccine doesn’t work – or even that it causes influenza – if a child develops the illness before developing immunity.
• Make influenza vaccinations a yearly health habit. Although more than 40% of parents reported that annual influenza vaccination is a priority for their children, as many as 20% see this as a decision they have to make each year. We should stress that influenza vaccination needs to be given yearly – no reconsideration necessary.
• One dose is not always enough. Children younger than age 9 years may require more than one dose of influenza vaccine to be fully protected. Only 24% of parents surveyed knew this, so it is critical that we understand the appropriate recommendation and communicate this clearly to parents. Not giving both doses to younger children can put them needlessly at risk.
• The "stomach flu" is not influenza. Parents need help in differentiating influenza from the common cold or the stomach flu. The survey showed that 25% of parents erroneously believe that the stomach flu is a type of influenza. Parents need to know how serious influenza can be and that the vaccine is the best way to protect themselves and their families.
I urge pediatricians and their office staff to demonstrate their commitment to influenza vaccination by vaccinating themselves as well as their patients. Join NFID’s "Leading by Example" influenza-prevention initiative. It calls on community leaders, including health care professionals, to set an example and help make influenza prevention essential for all children.
Dr. Baker is chair of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Childhood Influenza Immunization Coalition and is a past president of NFID. She is professor of pediatrics, molecular virology, and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston. Dr. Baker said she had no relevant financial disclosures.