The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. CDC encourages you to offer flu vaccine to any patient at any opportunity. Your recommendation can play a crucial role in your patient’s decision to get vaccinated.

The 2012-2013 influenza vaccine is made from the following three viruses:

• an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
• an A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus;
• a B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus (from the B/Yamagata lineage of viruses).

While the H1N1 virus is the same as the 2011-2012 recommendation, the recommended influenza H3N2 and B vaccine viruses are different from those recommended for the Northern Hemisphere for the 2011-2012 influenza vaccine.

CDC recommends everyone who is at least 6 months of age should get a flu vaccine this season. It’s especially important for some people to get vaccinated. Those people include the following:

• People who are at high risk of developing serious complications like pneumonia if they get sick with the flu
• This includes
  • People who have certain medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
  • Pregnant women.
  • People 65 years and older.
    
• People who live with or care for others who are high risk of developing serious complications
  • This includes household contacts and caregivers of people with certain medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
   

   Physician Tools for Promoting Vaccination and Treating Patients 

• CDC guidance - CDC provides treatment guidelines and communication resources specifically for you and your patients. This includes the current Vaccine information statement and asal spray information statement on the flu shot
•  TMA immunization resources -  The Facts about Flu Vaccination handout help you educate your patients. To order copies, in English or Spanish, contact TMA's outreach coordinator, Tammy Wishard, at tammy.wishard@texmed.org or (512) 370-1470.
•  DSHS Protect 2 from the Flu program - Texas Department of State Health Services has launched the“Protect Two from the Flu” campaign encouraging pregnant women to get the flu vaccine. Physicians can order free printed materials at Protect2.org/downloads.

Protect Your Patients, Your Family, and Yourself 

TMA strongly supports immunization of all physicians with the recommended vaccines available for preventable diseases, including the annual flu shot. Despite the recommendations, often health care workers do not protect themselves against the flu. TMA offers a poster featuring a health care worker with the tag line: “Protect your patients. Protect yourself & family. Get a flu shot.” To order copies of this poster to hang in your office or break room, call Tammy Wishard, (512) 370-1470 or send her an e-mail at tammy.wishard@texmed.org.