NFID Statement Regarding Influenza Vaccination Studies on the Elderly and Schoolchildren

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has issued the following statement in light of two recent studies which have created some confusion about the importance of influenza immunization among the elderly (65+).

The NFID wants to reinforce the importance of influenza immunization among persons age 65 and older, who are at high risk for complications, hospitalizations and death from influenza and support the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institute of Health's (NIH) joint effort to help further clarify the studies' results and implications for influenza immunization recommendations among high-risk persons 65 years and older and high-transmitting population groups (e.g., healthy schoolchildren).

To view the CDC-NIH statements, visit the CDC Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/flu.

NFID encourages you to share this statement within your organization and immunization partners