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Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2010 

SUMMARY

The 2010 influenza recommendations include new and updated information.  Highlights of the 2010 recommendations include:

1. a recommendation that annual vaccination be administered to all persons aged≥6 months for the 2010-11 influenza season
2. a recommendation that children aged 6 months-8years whose vaccination status is unknown or who have never received seasonal influenza vaccine before (or who received seasonal vaccine for the first time in 2009-10 but received only 1 dose in their first year of vaccination) as well as children who did not receive at least 1 dose of an influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine regardless of previous influenza vaccine history should receive 2 doses of a 2010-11 seasonal influenza vaccine (minimum interval: 4 weeks) during the 2010-11 season
3. a recommendation that vaccines containing the 2010-11 trivalent vaccine virus strains A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like (the same strain as was used for 2009 H1N1monovalent vaccines), A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like and B/Brisbane/60/2008-like antigens be used
4. information about Fluzone High-Dose, a newly approved vaccine for persons aged ≥65 years
5. information about other standard-dose newly approved influenza vaccines and previously approved vaccines with expanded age indications.

Vaccination efforts should begin as soon as the 2010-11 seasonal influenza vaccine is available and continue through the influenza season.  These recommendations also include a summary of safety data for U.S.-licensed influenza vaccines.  These recommendations and other information are available at CDC’s influenza website (http://www.cdc/gov/flu) ; any updates or supplements that might be required during the 2010-11 influenza season also will be available at this website.  Recommendations for influenza diagnosis and antiviral use will be published before the start of the 2010-11 influenza season.

To obtain a copy of this entire publication visit: www.cdc.gov/mmwr

Reference:  MMWR, Prevention and Control of Influenza with Vaccines, Recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP, 2010

CDC is currently investigating cases of respiratory illnesses in the states of California and Texas.  The individuals who have become ill are between the ages of 7 and 55.  63% of the cases are male.  Treatment for anyone suspected of having this illness (swine influenza) are oseltamivir and zanamivr.  Symptoms of the illness include cold symptoms, fatigue, loss of appetite and fever.  Individuals should see their physician to have a nasal culture tested for influenza and stay at home until symptoms have passed, usually 5-7 days.  Travel to the affected areas in Mexico is being discouraged.

16oo cases of swine flu reported in Mexico with 103 deaths.  Cases reported in the US include 7 in California, 2 in Kansas, 1 in Ohio, 8 in NYC (among a group of students who recently returned from Mexico), 2 in Texas.  Cases have also been reported in Canada, British Columbia, Nov Scotia, France, Spain, Scotland, and Israel.

Protecting yourself and your family:  Stay away from large groups of people.  Stay at least 6 feet away from individuals who have a respiratory tract infection.  Wear a mask if you have to be close to someone with a respiratory tract infection including someone who is living in your house.  If you are experiencing a fever greater than 100 try to get an influenza culture done and take antiviral medication within 48 hours of onset of symptoms.  Antivirals may not help if not started within 48 hour of onset of illness.

Person infected with the swine flu should be considered infectious up to 7 days after onset of symptoms.  People who are continue to be sick after 7 days should be considered infectious.  Especially children.