Atlanta – Federal officials Monday urged all Americans who haven’t gotten flu shots yet to get them immediately to prevent a potentially dangerous influenza season, though no one knows yet whether it will be severe or mild.
It’s just not smart to skip shots, said Dr. Jeanne Santoli, a top official of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Seasonal flu kills 36,000 Americans a year and hospitalizes 200,000.
Vaccine is plentiful, even though most arrived later than expected in doctors’ offices, pharmacies and public health clinics.
More than 92 million flu vaccines have been distributed across the nation of an estimated 110 million to 115 million expected to be produced.
That surpassed the 86 million doses made in 2005, when 81.2 million were distributed, and the 61 million made in 2004, when 56.5 million were shipped.
The CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched National Influenza Vaccination Week on Monday to stress the importance of getting shots.
Many people slack off after Thanksgiving and don’t get vaccinated, and that’s a big mistake because influenza doesn’t peak until February, Santoli said.
