VACCINES & DISEASE: Influenza
Influenza, or ‘the flu,’ is a disease of greatest risk to the elderly and/or those with compromised immune systems. The vaccine prepared prior to each flu season is an educated guess, based on the previous year’s prevalent strains. Its effectiveness, based as it is on a prediction, varies each year.
Not currently required for school admission in the Commonwealth, public health officials nevertheless recommend the influenza vaccine for a number of populations (including all children 6-23 months of age), primarily for the reduction of lost school or work time it might effect.
For further information, visit the National Vaccine Information Center’s influenza webpage.