Several societies concerned with countering the spread of infectious diseases issued a call for mandatory immunization of all healthcare workers. They outlined their reasons, but those are quite obvious and this mandate is long overdue, as we here at ACSH have been saying for years.
influenza vaccine
Flu vaccine still under-utilized, safe, and somewhat effective. CDC estimates millions of serious illnesses have been averted by the shot (and thousands of deaths). Pregnant women remain fearful, but they and their newborns pay the price if their physicians are negligent in not urging them to get vaccinated.
This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC, state and local health departments and other health agencies are observing National Influenza Vaccination Week. This includes
There have been concerns about the efficacy of vaccinating the very old against the flu especially debilitated folks who dwell in nursing homes because their immune systems may not respond to the vaccine.
Last year s flu season raised more controversy than usual about the use and utility of the flu vaccine. The degree of protection (about 60%) was on the low side, leading many to question whether it was even worth being vaccinated. Another related question that arose was whether more is better. In other words, if one dose gives moderate protection, would doubling the dose provide more? What about a fourfold increased dose?