I ran into a lot of resistance to vaccination last flu season, most of it poorly grounded. The whooping cough epidemic in California shows the importance of herd immunity. I hope the c compliance this flu season is adequate.
The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved vaccines for the 2010-2011 USA influenza season, protecting against three strains of influenza, including the H1N1 virus which caused the 2009 pandemic.
In 2009, because the H1N1 virus appeared after seasonal vaccine production commenced, two separate vaccines were required to protect against the seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu virus. The FDA says that only one vaccine is needed for this year.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ) informs that between 5% and 20% of the American population develops influenza annually, resulting in over 200,000 hospitalizations from related complications and about 36,000 deaths.
The FDA says that it is vital that health care personnel be vaccinated for their own protection, as well as people they come into contact with, such as patients, their family, and the community.
Seven Influenza Vaccines For Coming Season Approved By FDA