CDC: More Need to Be Vaccinated for Flu

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta want more U.S. adults and children to get immunized against the seasonal flu.

During the 2005-2006 season, one in five children ages 6 months to 23 months were fully vaccinated. Influenza vaccine coverage varied substantially among states, but no state had more than 40 percent of children fully vaccinated, the CDC said.

A CDC report indicates that seasonal influenza vaccination coverage in all states during the 2005-2006 influenza season was below the national 60 percent target for persons ages 18 to 64 with high-risk conditions, and the 90 percent target for those over age 65.

We need to re-think the influenza immunization season and encourage vaccination throughout the fall and winter for anyone wishing to be protected, Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the CDC, said in a statement. More doses are expected this year than in previous seasons and there is ample time to be immunized.