Influenza Vaccinations During the COVID-19 Pandemic — 11 U.S. Jurisdictions, September–December 2020

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  Roman, Patricia Castro ; Kirtland, Karen ; Zell, Elizabeth R. ; Jones-Jack, Nkenge ; Shaw, Lauren ; Shrader, Lauren ; Sprague, Carrie ; Schultz, Jessica ; Le, Quan ; Nalla, Abhinav ; Kuramoto, Sydney ; Cheng, Iris ; Woinarowicz, Mary ; Robison, Steve ; Robinson, Shannon ; Meder, Kelley ; Murphy, Ashley ; Gibbs-Scharf, Lynn ; Harris, LaTreace ; Murthy, Bhavini Patel
• Description:
  Influenza causes considerable morbidity and Mortality in the U.S. Between 2010 and 2020, an estimated 9-41 million cases resulted in 140,000-710,000 hospitalizations and 12,000-52,000 deaths annually (1). As the U.S. enters the 2021-22 influenza season, the potential impact of influenza illnesses is of concern given that influenza season will again coincide with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which could further strain overburdened health care systems. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends routine annual influenza vaccination for the 2021-22 influenza season for all persons aged ≥6 months who have no Contraindications (2). To assess the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on influenza vaccination coverage, the percentage change between administration of at least 1 dose of influenza vaccine during September-December 2020 was compared with the average administered in the corresponding periods in 2018 and 2019. The data analyzed were reported from 11 U.S. jurisdictions with high-performing state immunization information systems.* Overall, influenza vaccine administration was 9.0% higher in 2020 compared with the average in 2018 and 2019, combined. However, in 2020, the number of influenza vaccine doses administered to children aged 6-23 months and children aged 2-4 years, was 13.9% and 11.9% lower, respectively than the average for each age group in 2018 and 2019. Strategic efforts are needed to ensure high influenza vaccination coverage among all age groups, especially children aged 6 months-4 years who are not yet eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Administration of influenza vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine among eligible populations is especially important to reduce the potential strain that influenza and COVID-19 cases could place on health care systems already overburdened by COVID-19.
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Advisory Committees Aged Child Child, Preschool CoronaVirus Infections COVID-19 Humans Immunization Infant Influenza, Human Influenza Vaccines Middle Aged Pandemics Seasons Vaccination Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  MMWR Morbidity Mortal Weekly Rep. 70(45):1575-1578
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• DOI:
  http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/MMWRmm7045a3
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Pubmed ID:
  34758010
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC8580205
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Pages in Document:
  4 pdf pages
• Volume:
  70
• Issue:
  45
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:639fe57179ca72be91f004305e20bcae5149e67342345d7b98dff70a0ac9b9af2e207aa4beade66d71cd90c5afcbf0aed337f0a2054207ae702d8f965a4138c3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/111853/cdc_111853_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 130.68 KB ]