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FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Influenza (flu)
Why vaccinate adults against influenza?
- Depending on the severity of circulating strains, the flu kills between 3,000 and 49,000 Americans annually.
- Influenza can cause serious complications in people with a variety of chronic illnesses including asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and immunosupression.
- As many as one in five Americans gets influenza each year, and while the virus can be mild in some years, it can be very severe in others, causing debilitating illness and death even in previously healthy people.
- Direct medical costs of a moderately severe seasonal influenza outbreak average more than $10 billion.
Which adults need this vaccine?
- All adults need an invluenza vaccine annually; ita can be given as soon as teh vaccine becomes available in your community and anytime throughout the season.
- There are four influenza vaccine formuations available:
- Traditional injected for everyone 6 months and older
- Nasal spray for healthy, non-pregnant adults up to age 49 years (vaccine also approved for children beginning at age 2)
- Intradermal vaccine for adults ages 18 through 64 years
- High-dose for adults age 65 and older
View CDC immunization recommendations
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