Navy Medicine Will Protect Service Members, Patients Despite Flu Vaccine Shortages





	Navy Medicine Will Protect Service Members, Patients Despite Flu Vaccine Shortages Story Number: NNS041018-07 Release Date: 10/18/2004 3:31:00 PM By Ellen Maurer, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Navy health care providers began administering flu vaccinations this week in October, focusing supplies on deploying Sailors and Marines, as well as patients who are at highest risk for getting sick this season. This marks an on-time start to the Navy’s annual immunization season, which has been affected but not halted by world-wide shortages of the flu vaccine. Department of Defense officials said their supplies for all the services are less than expected – about 1.5 million fewer doses than projected. However, those who most need the vaccine will get it, according to Capt. Edward M. Kilbane, an infectious disease expert at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington, D.C. “The health and well-being of our Navy and Marine Corps family is our highest priority,” said Kilbane. “We anticipate that all of our high-risk beneficiaries and all of our operationally employed service members will be vaccinated on time this flu season. This includes individuals in critical operational duty positions here in the U.S. The major impact on DoD will be – as it will be for the rest of the United States – on our otherwise healthy, non-deployed population.” The DoD’s priority groups for this year’s flu vaccine include operational military personnel, recruit/trainee populations and their instructors, beneficiaries with high risk medical conditions and health care workers with direct patient contact. In previous years, the flu vaccine has been mandatory for all active-duty and Reserve service members, as well as some government civilians working in medical treatment facilities. Due to this year's shortened supply, some service members will be deferred from getting the vaccine. Those who are deferred from taking the vaccine this year, however, will still be considered medically fit for full duty. Furthermore, those identified in the first priority group will receive the vaccine, in an effort, military officials said, to “promote military readiness, protect the health of those who serve, and to prevent outbreaks.” “We will be asking some healthy Sailors and Marines, as well as their family members, not to get a flu shot this year. We want to ensure our supplies go to those who most need it, including the sick, injured and operationally employed,” said Kilbane. “For those who do not get a flu shot this year, I strongly suggest they use other preventive health measures, like staying away from other people who are sick, washing your hands frequently and staying home from work if you do get sick.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu is a contagious respiratory illness that can range from mild to severe symptoms that may, in severe cases, result in death. About 5 to 20 percent of Americans get the flu each year. The most serious cases involve those who have weakened immune systems, older people and the very young. For related news, visit the Naval Medicine Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/mednews.

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