National Influenza Vaccination Week (11/19/07)
The week after Thanksgiving is designated as National Influenza Vaccination Week. This event is designed to highlight the importance of continuing influenza (flu) vaccination, as well as foster greater use of flu vaccine through the months of November, December, and beyond.

What You Should Know about the Flu (10/31/06)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each fall. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

More than 100 Million Doses of Influenza Vaccine Expected to be Available This Year (10/31/06)
http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r060906b.htm
CDC announced that influenza (flu) vaccine manufacturers are expecting to produce and distribute more than 100 million doses of influenza vaccines in the United States between now and early January, 2007. Manufacturers have already begun to ship this season抯 influenza vaccine, with almost all of the vaccine expected to be shipped and distributed in October and November.

Prevention and Control of Influenza (8/21/06)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5510a1.htm
PDF
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5510.pdf
This report updates the 2005 recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices regarding the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents. The 2006 recommendations include new and updated information. Principal changes include 1) recommending vaccination of children aged 24-59 months and their household contacts and out-of-home caregivers against influenza; 2) highlighting the importance of administering 2 doses of influenza vaccine for children aged 6 months-<9 years who were previously unvaccinated; 3) advising health-care providers, those planning organized campaigns, and state and local public health agencies to a) develop plans for expanding outreach and infrastructure to vaccinate more persons than the previous year and b) develop contingency plans for the timing and prioritization of administering influenza vaccine, if the supply of vaccine is delayed and/or reduced; 4) reminding providers that they should routinely offer influenza vaccine to patients throughout the influenza season; 5) recommending that neither amantadine nor rimantadine be used for the treatment or chemoprophylaxis of influenza A in the United States until evidence of susceptibility to these antiviral medications has been re-established among circulating influenza A viruses; and 6) using the 2006-07 trivalent influenza vaccine virus strains.

Avian Flu (3/30/06)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/
Find out about key facts, questions and answers, how the virus is spread, current situation, information for specific groups, and more.

Influenza Vaccination in Pregnancy: Practices among Obstetrician-Gynecologists-United States, 2003-2004 Influenza Season (10/30/05)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5441a4.htm
PDF (p. 1050)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5441.pdf
To assess understanding of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations among obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, with support from CDC, surveyed a national sample of OB/GYNs in May 2004. This report describes the results of that survey, which indicated that 52% of OB/GYNs surveyed would recommend influenza vaccination for a healthy woman in the first trimester of pregnancy, 95% would recommend the vaccine for a healthy pregnant woman beyond the first trimester, and 63% would recommend vaccination for a woman with a medical condition in the first trimester. However, of the physicians who would recommend vaccination, 36%-38% reported that influenza vaccination was not offered in their practices. Increased efforts are needed to improve vaccine availability and to educate OB/GYNs regarding the updated ACIP recommendations on the use of influenza vaccine in the first trimester for both healthy pregnant women and pregnant women at high risk.

Key Facts about Flu Vaccine (8/30/05)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm
PDF
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/pdf/vaccinekeyfacts.pdf
The fact sheet discusses the two types of vaccines, when to get vaccinated, who should get vaccinated, who should not be vaccinated, vaccine effectiveness, and vaccine side effects.

Prevention and Control of Influenza (7/30/05)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5408a1.htm
PDF
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5408.pdf
This report updates the 2004 recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices regarding the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents. The 2005 recommendations include new or updated information regarding 1) vaccination of persons with conditions leading to compromise of the respiratory system; 2) vaccination of health-care workers; 3) clarification of the role of live, attenuated influenza vaccine in vaccine shortage situations; 4) the 2005-06 trivalent vaccine virus strains; and 5) the assessment of vaccine supply, timing of influenza vaccination, and prioritization of inactivated vaccine in shortage situations.

Updated Interim Influenza Vaccination Recommendations- 2004-05 Influenza Season (12/30/04)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5350a7.htm
PDF (p. 1183)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5350.pdf
Given numerous considerations, CDC recommends that aggressive efforts should continue to reach unvaccinated persons in high-risk priority groups and use available vaccine to vaccinate such persons. Adequate time remains for persons in these priority groups to receive the benefits of vaccination before influenza begins to widely circulate in most communities. In addition, CDC is issuing updated interim recommendations for influenza vaccination during the 2004-05 season. If the locally available supply is sufficient to meet the local demand for vaccine from persons listed under the heading 'Priority Groups for Inactivated Influenza Vaccination', vaccination may expand to also include persons listed under the heading 'Additional Priority Groups for Inactivated Influenza Vaccination in Areas of Sufficient Supply'.

HIV/AIDS and the Flu (11/30/04)
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/Treatment/hiv-flu.htm
This fact sheet provides questions & answers to guide both the administration of flu shots and antiviral medications in people with HIV/AIDS.

Flu (10/30/04)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
Find out the latest about the availability of influenza vaccine, how to prevent the flu, and more.

Flu Patient and Provider Education Materials (9/30/04)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/patiented.htm
This page contains new brochures, buttons, forms, dosage chart, fact sheets, posters, information in Spanish, and more.

Prevention and Control of Influenza (5/30/04)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr53e430a1.htm
PDF
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr53e430.pdf
Press Release
http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r040430.htm
Each year, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices provides updated recommendations on influenza vaccination. This year, the recommendations include information on influenza vaccine for children aged 6� months; vaccination of health-care workers with live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV); personnel who may administer LAIV; the 2004� trivalent inactivated vaccine virus strains; and assessment of the vaccine supply and timing of influenza vaccination. It also includes information regarding vaccination of pregnant women, women infected with HIV, and breastfeeding mothers.

Flu Season 2003-2004
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/index.htm
Flu vaccine is the single most effective means for preventing infection with the flu virus and the complications associated with flu. But everyone who wants to be protected from the flu needs to be re-vaccinated each year because the flu virus changes each year. For best protection, immunization should occur in October and November for those at high risk for complications of the flu, and in November and December for all others. Links to other documents are also available on this page.

Prevention and Control of Influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5103a1.htm
PDF
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5103.pdf
This report updates the 2001 recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization practices regarding the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents. The 2002 recommendations include new or updated information. Information regarding vaccinations for pregnant women are included. Researchers estimate that an average of 1-2 hospitalizations could be prevented for every 1,000 pregnant women vaccinated.

Flu: Women抯 Health Topics A-Z
http://www.cdc.gov/women/az/flu.htm
View women抯 health resources related to flu.

Fast Stats A-Z: Influenza Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/flu.htm
View data and statistics on flu.

Frequently Asked Questions: Influenza (Flu)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/
Learn anwers to frequently asked questions about flu.

Influenza (Flu) Patient and Provider Education Materials
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/patiented.htm
This website includes CDC's flu gallery of educational flyers, posters, and brochures in English and Spanish that reflect CDC's vaccination recommendations and highlight the benefits of influenza vaccination.

Influenza (Flu): Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
Learn how to protect yourself and others from flu.

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This page last reviewed November 19, 2007
This page last updated January 3, 2008
URL: http://www.cdc.gov/women/pubs/flu.htm

US Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office of Women's Health