WASHINGTON — A record- setting amount of influenza vaccine is available this fall for a record-setting number of people being advised to get it.
That was the message Wed nesday from officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several private organizations, who convened in Washington to urge Americans to get flu shots.
The number of people targeted for flu vaccination has grown steadily in recent years and now constitutes 86 percent of the population.
For the first time, the government is recommending that all children ages 6 months to 18 years old get vaccinated, not just those younger than 5. That will add about 30 million children to the targeted number. Last season, flu killed 86 children.
The CDC recommends that children 8 and younger get two flu shots a month apart.
Over the past decade, flu seasons have been sporadically marred by shortages or excesses of vaccine and, in the case of last year, relatively poor protection against the strains of influenza causing illness.
None of those problems is anticipated this year, said Julie Gerberding, the CDC’s director.
“I have a smile on my face this year because we are looking at a wonderful supply of flu vaccine,” she said.
Manufacturers will make about 145 million doses. While the number of people targeted is substantially higher — 261 million — not everyone will choose to or be able to get vaccinated.
The targeted groups also include pregnant women; those 50 and older; younger adults with chronic illnesses such as asthma; health care workers; people in contact with children less than 6 months old; and people in contact with those at high risk of flu complications, such as AIDS patients.
Flu contributes to the deaths of about 36,000 people a year, most of them elderly, although the number dying directly from the infection is much smaller.
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