Flu vaccines at the ready this season

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMay 29 2011

Manufacturers of flu vaccines are nearly ready with the new supply of vaccinations for this upcoming flu season in the northern hemisphere. Two weeks ago, five vaccine manufacturers announced plans to make between 166 million and 173 million doses for the coming season. That's at least 6 million more than the maximum ever produced. However they add that many might not actually need the shots.

This is because of the fact that the vaccine this year is the same exact flu vaccine that came out last year and due to the fact that the same flu strains are prevalent. This means that young and healthy adults who received a flu vaccine last year may not need another one, as the prior-year vaccine’s effect may carry-over. In this case, a booster shot would only be necessary in order for these adults to be protected. It is still believed that young children and the elderly will be highly-recommended to get a flu vaccine, but it should minimize demand a bit from a year ago.

“For healthy people, it can't be said to be necessary,” said Dr. Robert Couch, a flu vaccine expert at the Baylor College of Medicine. Demand for vaccine has been growing in the U.S. However some differ in their opinion. “The bottom line is, with our current knowledge, we believe it is better to be re-vaccinated. And getting another shot is certainly not going to harm you,” said Dr. Arnold Monto, an esteemed University of Michigan flu expert.

More than 40 percent of the population was vaccinated against the flu in the last 10 months, the second year in a row vaccinations were at so high a level. Previously, only about a third of Americans were getting vaccinated, according to government figures.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year began recommending an annual flu vaccination for everyone except babies younger than 6 months and those with egg allergies or other unusual conditions. That probably helped boost vaccination rates, along with the appearance in 2009 of swine flu, which was more dangerous than other strains to young people. The CDC also is buying about 18 million of the 2011-2012 doses, primarily for government vaccine programs for children. Other countries, even in Europe, do not promote flu shots as aggressively as the United States. Seasonal flu can be deadly, especially for the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

“We are confident in our 2011 projections for the U.S. market. They are based on ordering patterns as well as what's known about the epidemiology of the flu,” said Liz Power, spokeswoman for Novartis Vaccines, one of the main manufacturers of flu shots for the United States.