September 29, 2005

State officials believe influenza vaccine supplies in Michigan will be enough to meet demand this year, but are asking at-risk individuals and health care workers to step forward for their flu shot first.

“We are cautiously optimistic that we will have enough supply of influenza vaccine to meet demand this season in Michigan and across the Unites States,” said Janet Olszewski, Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “The best defense against influenza is receiving a flu shot or the Flumist, and we strongly encourage citizens to receive a flu vaccine this season.”

Much of Olszewski’s optimism is based on the Chiron Corporation, a major supplier of influenza vaccine for the United States, shipping supplies to the United States before flu season is likely to begin. Currently, the United States Food and Drug Administration is conducting final inspections on vaccine supply that is ready to ship to America, she said. In 2004, Chiron was unable to supply any vaccine in the U.S. because of production problems.

“Even if the U.S. does not receive vaccine from Chiron, we expect to still have more vaccine on hand than we did last year, because of manufacturers in this country creating more supply,” she said.

From now until October 24, health departments and private health practitioners around the country have been asked by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention to only inoculate at-risk populations against influenza, including:

·People 65 or older

·Residents of long-term care facilities and nursing homes

·People ages 2 to 64 with chronic health problems

·Pregnant women

·Children ages 6 to 23 months

·Health care personnel who provide direct patient care

·Caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6 months

Dr. Dean Sienko, acting state Chief Medical Executive, said the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) – over the next several weeks – will make a strong push for health care personnel who provide direct patient care to receive vaccine this season.

In the coming weeks, MDCH will work with health care organizations around the state that represent doctors, nurses, hospitals, and other primary care workers, to vaccinate their members.

“Each year, we know – despite significant encouragement – that only 40 percent of health care personnel tasked with providing direct patient care receive a flu shot,” Sienko said. “It is in the best interest of health care workers and the patients they care for to dramatically increase this percentage this season.”

MDCH also continues to work with its Flu Advisory Board – a group representing dozens of health care advocacy groups that was created in the wake of national flu vaccine shortages last year – on communication and preventative education efforts.

Sienko said health departments should not turn other populations away if they insist upon receiving the vaccine.

“We are asking that healthy people wait until October 24 to receive their dose of vaccine, but that does not mean practitioners should turn people away that insist upon receiving it,” Sienko said. “Our top priority should be to ensure that all doses of vaccine in Michigan are used – the last thing we want is to see flu vaccine sitting on shelves this season.”

Although receiving a flu shot is the best way to avoid contracting the disease, Sienko said there are other things Michigan citizens can do to limit their exposure to the illness, such as:

·Wash hands frequently to avoid exposure to influenza;

·Stay home from work or school if you are ill;

·Get plenty of rest and eat a balanced diet to keep your immune system strong;

·Avoid close contact with people who are sick;

·Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and

·Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Historically, 36,000 people – most of them elderly – die from complications from influenza and more than 200,000 are hospitalized with influenza-like illness each year.