2007-2008 Flu Season
The 2007-2008 Flu Season has come to a close. Please check back in late August for updated information about the 2008-2009 flu season.
Every year, over 6,000 Californians die of complications from influenza. Getting an influenza vaccination continues to be the best thing that Californians can do to prevent hospitalizations and deaths related to influenza.
Listen to the Wash Your Hands Holiday Jingle ¯¯¯
Flu Facts
Learn more about seasonal flu. Download the Flu Prevention Fact Sheet.
Who Can Get the Flu Vaccine
Anyone who wants to protect themselves against influenza can receive a flu shot at this time. Those at high risk of flu complications or transmission include:
- Persons aged 65 and over with or without chronic health conditions.
- Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
- Persons aged 2-64 with chronic medical conditions including heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and immunesuppression.
- Children aged 6-59 months.
- Pregnant women.
- Health care personnel who provide direct patient care.
- Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children aged < 5 years.
For healthy individuals between the ages of 2 and 49, and for anyone with a fear of needles, another option is to receive the intranasal vaccine. This vaccine is also an excellent option for health care workers.
The vaccine supply this 2007-2008 flu season should be adequate to cover anyone who is wanting protection. The vaccine is being delivered to doctors' offices in incremental shipments. By the end of November full orders should arrive to all offices that have ordered the vaccine. Vaccinating through November and December allows enough time to receive protection from influenza during the worst of flu season (typically January and February in the Bay Area).
Where to Get a Flu Shot
The best place to be vaccinated is always at your doctor’s office within the context of ongoing primary care. If your doctor does not have flu vaccine you can:
For further assistance leave a message on our Flu Information Line at (415) 554-2681. Your call will be returned within 24 business hours.
Influenza Information for Providers
Vaccine Information for Providers
Providers who meet eligibility criteria (nonprofit providers who serve low-income, high-risk individuals) may qualify for free vaccine from our Influenza Vaccine Distribution program. Please read the Influenza Vaccine Program Guidelines for more information.
Principle changes in recommendations for the 2007-2008 Influenza Season include:
- Reemphasize that any child less than age 9 receiving flu vaccine for the first time needs two doses separated by at least one month to be adequately protected
- Children aged 6 months to 8 years who received only 1 dose in their first year of vaccination should receive 2 doses the following year
- All persons, including school-aged children, who want to reduce the risk of becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting influenza to others, should be vaccinated
- Immunization providers should offer influenza vaccine and schedule immunization clinics throughout the influenza season
- Health-care administrators should consider the level of vaccination coverage among health-care personnel (HCP) to be one measure of a patient safety quality program and implement policies to encourage HCP vaccination
The 2007-2008 vaccine uses trivalent virus strains: A/Solomon Islands/3/2006 (H1N1)-like (new for this season), A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like, and B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like viruses. For the 2007-2008 flu season, the following vaccine products exist:
- Fluzone™ manufactured by Sanofi-Pasteur, this vaccine is approved for use in individuals age 6 months and older. The presentations include pre-filled syringes for use in pediatric patients age 6 to 35 months (free of thimerosal), a pre-filled syringe for use in persons age 35 months and older (also free of thimerosal) and a 10-dose vial for use in individuals age 6 months and older (contains thimerosal).
- Fluvirin™ manufactured by Novartis Vaccine, this vaccine is approved for use in individuals age 4 years and older. The vaccine comes in 10-dose vials and does contain thimerosal.
- Fluarix™ manufactured by Glaxo Smith Kline, this vaccine is approved for use in individuals age 18 years and older. The vaccine comes in single dose vials or pre-filled syringes and does not contain thimerosal.
- FluLuval™manufactured by Glaxo Smith Kline, this vaccine is approved for use in individuals age 18 years and older. This vaccine comes in 10-dose vials and does contain thimerosal.
- FluMist™ manufactured by MedImmune, this vaccine is approved for use in healthy individuals age 2-49 years. This is an intranasal, live virus flu vaccine that does not contain thimerosal.
Providers who need to order more flu vaccine should contact their regular distributor or the vaccine manufacturers themselves. Information about distributors is included here.
Reminder: The Mercury Free Act of 2004 - AB 2943 - Added Article 9 to Part 2, Chapter 3 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code (entitled Personal Health Care). Health and Safety Code Section 124172.
- Effective July 1, 2006. Affects children under three years and women who are “knowingly pregnant.”
- Restricts thimerosal content in vaccines.
o Influenza vaccine: <1.0 microgram/0.5mL
o All other vaccines: < 0.5 microgram/0.5mL
It is, subsequently, appropriate, to give only preservative-free Fluzone™ or Fluarix™ vaccine to pregnant women in California.
New Legislation:
- SB 739 (Health and Safety Code Section 1288.7) went into effect July 1, 2007 requiring general acute care hospitals a) annually offer onsite flu vaccinations to all employees at no cost, b) institute respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette protocols, c) revise/develop disaster plans to include pandemic influenza components
- AB 106 (amended 6/1/07 and currently in Senate Appropriations) – would require acute care hospitals to offer flu and pneumococcal vaccinations to inpatients upon discharge.
All further questions regarding flu in San Francisco to the San Francisco Flu Information line at (415) 554-2681. We will respond to your need within 24 hours on all business days.
Vaccine Outreach Materials
The health department provides free vaccine outreach materials to doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals. Many are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. To order seasonal flu materials or other materials click here.
The Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) is available in multiple languages.
Additional Resources
Please call the Flu Information Line with any questions: (415) 554-2681 |
