CDC along wit physicians advise parents to use the regular flu vaccine for their children
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that only the flu shots should be used on individuals in the United States because the FluMist vaccine does not have equivalent benefits.
The painless version of the vaccine that represented a third of the pediatric influenza treatment in current years will not be offered for this fall.
The American Academy of Pediatrics agreed to CDC’s recommendation and advised parents to choose for their children aged six months and older the regular flu shot.
A family physician with Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, Dr. David Begert, agreed that the nasal spray was not as efficient as flu shots but also mentioned that scientists do not know exactly why the FluMist does not defend against several flu strains.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the nasal spray was only three percent efficient during the influenza season which usually starts in October and stops in May. The flu vaccine was known to be 63 percent effective in kids aged between two and 17 years old.
Flu usually kills more than 24,000 Americans every year including approximately 100 children. It is the reason why CDC advises parents to vaccinate their six months and older children with the regular flu vaccine which is known to decrease the risk of influenza by 50 to 60 percent.
Kaiser Permanente declared canceling an order of approximately 120,000 doses of FluMist in the Southern and Northern California operations. The canceled orders represent around eight percent of the total 1.5 million doses of influenza vaccine that the corporation provides its members across the nation.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention thinks that notwithstanding the FluMist issues, there will be enough doses of vaccine to be supplied to U.S customers, usually around 157 million and 168 million shot doses.
Assistant health administrator in Sonoma County, Karen Holbrook, warned that children under the age of two and senior over 65 years old ar the categories with the highest risk. Other divisions included in the maximum risk group are individuals with chronic heart, lung, liver, kidney, and nervous system conditions. Moreover, people suffering from diabetes, cancer, obesity and pregnant women are also at a greater risk.
A family physician who operates in the Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation building on Stony Circle mentioned that the vaccine benefits individuals who are most likely to suffer from disease from the flu virus.
Image source: Public Domain
Michael Turner
