Three influenza vaccinations will be postponed for three to four weeks this year. These three vaccines make up around 40% of the influenza vaccinations market in the United States. Pharmaceutical companies supplied around 160 million doses last year. This delay is worrying pediatricians, parents and teachers as many of the children have already started school all over the country.
Suggested Solution:
On the other hand, many concerned healthcare providers approve of this delay because getting the strain right is much better than providing the patients with a less than effective strain. Physicians’ solution is to prioritize some patients over others. For instance, Dr.Guidera, a pediatrician, says that their priority is “patients with a chronic illness or a young infant who might need it”.
The CDC has its say:
The CDC disagrees with over 40% of adults who refuse to take the flu vaccine. It recommends that anyone over six months of age to get vaccinated. Many of the adults that do not approve of the flu vaccine allege that it makes them sick if they take it. However, a large majority of the healthcare providers attest that it significantly lessens the symptoms and hospitalization of flu patients. A vaccine is a deactivated version of the disease and it gets the immune system to fight it off.
The effects of the flu:
Over 36,000 deaths result from the flu in the United States every year. Also, the rate of hospitalization is over five times more than that. Those who are affected the most by the flu are either the youngest or the oldest of patients. This is not the first time of a flu vaccine delay. In fact, it has also happened in 2003. According to the CDC, the shortages may be from searching for the best strain to put out in the market. Another common reason may be from companies exiting the market. In fact, many companies find it not so profitable compared to other pharmaceuticals. Also, there is a heavy governmental regulation on the market by the FDA.
To learn more about the flu vaccine delay:
https://www.newsweek.com/flu-vaccines-delayed-1457862
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/clinical-resources/shortages.html
