Extending flu shot season not simple

Many physicians endorse the concept of continuing to offer immunizations into the new year, but making it a reality is challenging.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. Jan. 14, 2008.

Brian Bachelder, MD, a family physician in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, supports public health and medical society efforts to extend the influenza vaccination season. But after he used up his supply of vaccine by early December 2007, patients who still needed or wanted it were referred to the local health department.

It's not that he had the problems of previous years, such as never receiving supplies or receiving them late. He got his 250 doses of flu vaccine early and used them. Although the system has more to offer, he's unwilling to take the financial risk.

"We considered ordering more, but we didn't want to get stuck with it," Dr. Bachelder said.

His sentiment is one example of implementation challenges faced by influenza vaccine advocates trying to capitalize on this year's plentiful supplies and promote vaccinating long beyond Thanksgiving, when patient demand traditionally lags. The hope is that extending the season will make it more possible for the growing number of people recommended to receive the vaccine to actually do so.

"The pilgrims didn't say stop vaccinating at Thanksgiving," said William Schaffner, MD, chair of the Dept. of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn., and vice president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

"Influenza most often peaks in February," he said. "We really do have more time to vaccinate and get people protected, and we need to give the system more time to reach out to more people."