SeniorJournal.com

INDEX

FRONT PAGE

PAGE TWO
More Headlines

 • General Features

 • Find Help

 • SENIOR ALERTS

 • Baby Boomers

 • Odds & Ends

Health-Fitness

 • Fitness

 • Health/Medicine

 • Medical Research

 • Nutrition/Vitamin

Government

 • Politics

 • Medicare

 • Medicare Drug Program

 • Medicare Q&A - Dear Marci

 • Medicaid

 • Social Security

 • Social Security, Medicare Q&A

 • Social Security Reform

Enjoying Life

 • Books

 • Entertainment

 • Features

 • Grandparents

 • Senior Statistics

 • Senior Stars

 • Sex & Seniors

 • Sports

 • Travel

 • Senior Volunteers

On The Web

 • Links - Senior

 • Senior Friendly Business Links

 • Sites We Like

Elderly Issues

 • Elder Care

 • Assistance for Elderly

 • Housing

Money 

Thinking

 • Opinions

E-mail this page to a friend!

Flu News for Senior Citizens

Senior Citizens Have No Reason to Skip Flu, Pneumonia Shots This Year

Shots are free for most seniors, in most neighborhoods, plentiful

October 4, 2006 – There is no reason for senior citizens not to get flu and pneumonia vaccine inoculations this year – there are more vaccine doses available than ever before, the shots are paid for by Medicare Part B and Medicaid and an online flu shot locator (see box at right) can help easily find where shots are available near your home. Still, statistics show, many will not, which puts them endanger and can help spread the diseases to others.

"Not enough people who are 65 and older get a flu shot, yet it could be one of the most important things they do for themselves this year," says Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mark B. McClellan. In any given state, at least 20 percent of people with Medicare don't get their flu shot."

Annual influenza vaccination has additional benefits besides not getting the flu, including avoiding complications like bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections and dehydration. It also helps ensure chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma and diabetes do not get worse.

"Taking the time to get this vaccination means that, unlike 200,000 people who are hospitalized every year as a result of flu or its complications, you will stay healthy, even during flu season," noted Dr. McClellan.

The Medicare reimbursements for pneumococcal and influenza vaccines this year have increased $2.51 and $0.56 respectively. Payment for pneumococcal and influenza vaccines will now be $27.08 per pneumococcal dose and $12.62 per influenza dose. These rates are national averages, and will vary across the country. The administration fee for both vaccinations will be $18.57.

McClellan was joined by CDC Director Julie L. Gerberding, MD, MPH, and other officials from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA), National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and CMS at a press conference this morning at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to reinforce the importance of continued influenza immunization into December and later.

"A significant amount of vaccine is expected to be available by the end of October, so now is the time to begin speaking to your health care provider about getting vaccinated this fall and winter," said Gerberding. "Influenza season, both in terms of severity and duration, is unpredictable. So we want to encourage individuals to seek vaccination into December and January because the vaccine can be effective even after the virus begins to circulate in a community."

Dr. Gerberding reported that influenza vaccination coverage rates for people 65 years of age and older were lower among persons surveyed in 2005 (approximately 63 percent) than among persons surveyed the previous year (approximately 68 percent).

Pneumococcal vaccination rates in this senior citizen age group essentially remained the same from 2004 to 2005, at slightly under 64 percent (63.4 percent to 63.7 percent). Both vaccination coverage levels remain well below the Healthy People 2010 objective of 90 percent.

Doses of influenza vaccine are beginning to be available now and more doses will be distributed through December. Given the large supply of vaccine that is anticipated, anyone who wants to be protected against influenza this year should get vaccinated; no prioritization of vaccine is needed.

Public recognition of the benefits of immunization in December, January and later is critical to ensuring optimal protection of all healthy and high-risk individuals during influenza season, especially since the disease does not typically peak until February.

Among the highlights in a NFID survey:

● Many regard influenza as similar to the common cold, a concerning misperception since influenza and its complications are responsible for about 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. each year.

 ● About half of Americans plan to be vaccinated this influenza season

 ● A large percentage of people acknowledged learning about the importance of immunization the hard way, after suffering the severe symptoms and complications of influenza themselves.

 ● The majority of Americans who do not plan to get vaccinated underestimate the seriousness of influenza and are unaware that people of any age can contract the virus and spread it to others.

 ● Americans also think that by December it is too late to be protected by an annual influenza vaccination.

 ● A majority of respondents would stay home in bed resting and drinking plenty of fluids if suffering from flu, a lower number realize their health care providers may be able to prescribe antiviral medications to help treat their symptoms.

While vaccination is the first line of defense against seasonal influenza, prescription antiviral medications play an important role in prevention and treatment. The CDC currently recommends use of two antiviral medications, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza), if antiviral treatment or chemoprophylaxis of influenza is indicated.

If taken within 48 hours of symptom onset, antiviral medications can reduce the duration of influenza, which is usually characterized by fever, dry cough, sore throat, muscle aches, runny or stuffy nose and extreme tiredness. Antiviral medications also can be used to prevent the spread of influenza in households and in health care settings, such as nursing homes.

Additionally, use of antiviral medications is an option for preventing influenza among persons known to have severe allergic reactions to eggs or to other components of the influenza vaccine. These antiviral medications are available by prescription only. As with vaccines, prescription antiviral medications will be in ample supply during the 2006-2007 influenza season in pharmacies across the U.S. Antiviral drugs may be extremely helpful in preventing and controlling the spread of influenza.

"Americans need to learn about the benefits of immunization. Forgoing vaccination can put your household at risk for complications like pneumonia, missed work and school days, trips to the hospital and sometimes death," said Susan J. Rehm, MD, NFID medical director and vice chair of the department of infectious disease at the Cleveland Clinic.

"Influenza is much more severe than the common cold. Patients should talk to their health care providers about prevention and treatment options for themselves and their loved ones."

Protection Against Pneumonia Available to America's Senior Citizens

In addition to annual influenza immunization, Americans 65 years of age and older and those of any age with certain underlying medical conditions should also get vaccinated against pneumonia. The pneumonia vaccine is appropriate at any time of the year, and can be administered at the same time as the influenza vaccine.

"Health experts have seen an alarming increase in the number of older Americans hospitalized for pneumonia," said William G. Plested, III, MD, president, American Medical Association. "The influenza season is an excellent time to remind elderly patients that they also need to be vaccinated against pneumonia."

"According to the CDC, nearly one million seniors are estimated to become ill due to pneumonia each year and roughly one-third will require hospitalization, " said Dr. Plested. "Less than 65 percent of seniors are vaccinated and many instances of illness and potentially serious complications can be avoided through vaccination."

Experts have concluded that improving immunization among those at risk can help prevent potentially life-threatening pneumonia. Although anyone can contract the disease, some groups are at particularly high risk, including persons age 65 years and older, those with chronic illness or weakened immune systems and residents of chronic or long-term care facilities.

Editor's Notes:

This news conference was sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases in partnership with the National Influenza Vaccine Summit and is supported, in part, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and through unrestricted educational grants to NFID by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Flu Vaccine Business Practices Initiative, GlaxoSmithKline, Henry Schein, Inc., MedImmune Vaccines, Novartis Vaccines, Merck and Co., Inc., Roche, and sanofi pasteur.

About the National Influenza Vaccine Summit

This Summit was initiated in 2000 by CDC and the AMA to address vaccine delays and shortages. It since has grown from 60 persons from 30 organizations to now include 400+ members representing 130 organizations. The Summit's goal is to address, discuss and help to resolve influenza vaccine issues and to increase utilization of vaccine in accordance with ACIP recommendations. Members include professional medical and public health organizations, advocacy groups, pharmacists, vaccine manufacturers and distributors, payers, representatives from hospitals and long term care facilities, health care providers and other influenza vaccine stakeholders.

About the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is a non-profit, tax-exempt (501c3) organization founded in 1973 and dedicated to educating the public and healthcare professionals about the causes, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases.

Search for more about this topic on SeniorJournal.com
		Web	SeniorJournal.com

Click to More Senior News on the Front Page

Copyright: SeniorJournal.com