Pinon’s WALK-IN FLU SHOT CLINIICS

FLU shot consent 2024

8/29/2024

If you’re wondering why your pharmacy is already giving Flu shots and your family medicine doctors office Pinon Family Practice isn’t yet…….its because the provider at Pinon choose to follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Advisory Committee on Vaccine Practices (ACIP) recommendations for appropriate Timing of the Flu Vaccine to ensure the length of immunity lasts throughout the expected Flu season!

Below is an excerpt from the CDC and ACIP on appropriate timing for administering the vaccine.

Timing of the onset, peak, and decline of influenza activity varies from season to season (20). Decisions about timing need to consider the unpredictability of the influenza season, possible waning of vaccine-induced immunity over the course of a season, and practical considerations. For most persons who need only 1 dose of influenza vaccine for the season, vaccination should ideally be offered during September or October. However, vaccination should continue after October and throughout the influenza season as long as influenza viruses are circulating and unexpired vaccine is available. To avoid missed opportunities for vaccination, providers should offer vaccination during routine health care visits and hospitalizations. Revaccination (i.e., providing a booster dose) to persons who have been fully vaccinated for the season is not recommended, regardless of when the current season vaccine was received. Influenza vaccines might be available as early as July or August; however, vaccination during July and August is not recommended for most groups because of potential waning of immunity over the course of the influenza season (21–40), particularly among older adults (21,22,24,31,34,40). However, vaccination during July or August can be considered for any recipient for whom there is concern that they will not be vaccinated at a later date. Considerations for timing of vaccination include the following:

• For most adults (particularly adults aged ≥65 years) and for pregnant persons in the first or second trimester: Vaccination during July and August should be avoided unless there is concern that vaccination later in the season might not be possible.

• Children who require 2 doses: Certain children aged 6 months through 8 years require 2 doses of influenza vaccine for the season (see Children Aged 6 Months Through 8 Years: Number of Influenza Vaccine Doses) (Figure). These children should receive their first dose as soon as possible (including during July and August, if vaccine is available) to allow the second dose (which must be administered ≥4 weeks later) to be received, ideally, by the end of October.

• Children who require only 1 dose: Vaccination during July and August can be considered for children of any age who need only 1 dose of influenza vaccine for the season. Although waning of immunity after vaccination over the course of the season has been observed among all age groups (21–40), there are fewer published studies reporting results specifically among children (21,30,32,33,37,39,40). Moreover, children in this group might visit health care providers during the late summer months for medical examinations before the start of school. Vaccination can be considered at this time because it represents a vaccination opportunity.

• Pregnant persons in the third trimester: Vaccination during July and August can be considered for pregnant persons who are in the third trimester during these months because vaccination has been associated in multiple studies with reduced risk for influenza illness in their infants during the first months after birth, when they are too young to receive influenza vaccine (41–44). For pregnant persons in the first or second trimester during July and August, waiting to vaccinate until September or October is preferable, unless there is concern that later vaccination might not be possible.

…..Vaccination efforts should continue throughout the season because the duration of the influenza season varies, and influenza activity might not occur in certain communities until February, March, or later (20). Providers should offer influenza vaccine at health care visits to those not yet vaccinated, and organized vaccination campaigns should continue throughout the influenza season, including after influenza activity has begun in the community. Although vaccination by the end of October is recommended, vaccine administered in December or later, even if influenza activity has already begun, might be beneficial in most influenza seasons. Providers should offer influenza vaccination to unvaccinated persons who have already become ill with influenza during the season because the vaccine might protect them against other circulating influenza viruses.