WASHINGTON — It’s time for flu vaccine again. Although it’s important for the whole family, health officials this year have some different advice for different ages: Certain kids should opt for the ouchless nasal spray. Seniors, expect to get a new kind of pneumonia shot along with that flu jab.
Too many young and middle-age adults are skipping the vaccine altogether, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — even though there are more options than ever.
“The best way to protect yourself against the flu is to get a flu vaccination,” said CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden on Thursday, before rolling up his sleeve to get his own flu shot.
Some things to know:
• Who should be vaccinated: The government recommends a yearly flu vaccine for nearly everyone starting at 6 months of age.
• How many are vaccinated: Vaccination rates last year, the CDC said, were highest for children under 5 — 70 percent — and for seniors — 65 percent. But just a third of healthy adults ages 18-64 got vaccinated. About 55 percent of school-age children were vaccinated. Parents need to realize that flu vaccine is crucial even for otherwise healthy children, said Dr. Paul Offit of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. At least 100 U.S. children died of flu last year, only half of whom had lung conditions or other illnesses that put them at high risk.
• Vaccine supply: About 150 million doses are being shipped this year, with no signs of shortages or delays, Frieden said. About half will protect against four strains of influenza instead of the usual three.
• Which kind to choose: For the first time this year, the CDC said the FluMist nasal spray version is the preferred vaccine for healthy children ages 2-8. If a squirt up the nose isn’t for you, there are other options: the regular shot; an egg-free shot for those allergic to eggs; a high-dose shot just for those 65 and older whose immune systems may need an extra boost; and a tiny-needle shot that just penetrates the skin.
• New advice for seniors: This year, the CDC is urging people 65 and older to get a new kind of pneumonia vaccine along with their flu shot. Children already receive Pfizer’s Prevnar-13 to prevent a kind of bacteria, called pneumococcus, that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and other infections. Now seniors need a one-time dose, too, Frieden said.
