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Time to inject booster of vaccine awareness

Experts remind physicians that adults as well as children need to be immunized against flu and other preventable conditions.

By Stephanie Stapleton, amednews staff. Aug. 20, 2001.

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Washington -- August is back-to-school season. It is also when children get caught up on the immunizations necessary for their return to the classroom. And, as a reminder, August has been named National Immunization Awareness Month -- a campaign aimed at drawing physicians' and the public's attention to the importance of vaccines, not just for kids, but adults and young adults.

At the top of the list is the influenza vaccine.

Each winter, the flu is responsible for 20,000 deaths and 110,000 hospitalizations. Still, millions of senior citizens remain unprotected. The vaccine production and delivery system also continues to face challenges, said Martin Myers, MD, director of the Dept. of Health and Human Services National Vaccine Program Office. He spoke this month at a briefing on the status of vaccine availability.

In the 2001-2002 season, manufacturers project a total of 77.1 million doses will be available. This overall amount is equal to the total produced last year. About 49.8 million doses will be available by the end of October -- 23 million more doses than were delivered at that time last season. The remaining 27.3 million doses should be delivered in November and December, Dr. Myers said.

One factor contributing to the ongoing supply difficulties is that there are now three, rather than four, licensed manufacturers. And one manufacturer is making changes to bring its facility into full compliance with good manufacturing practices.

Once the season starts, it's likely that each manufacturer will have vaccines available at different times, thereby affecting shipment delivery, explained Walter Orenstein, MD, assistant surgeon general. He directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's national immunization program. Where physicians ordered from will determine when their supply arrives, he said. [...]