Abstract
Annual vaccination with trivalent inactivated vaccines has been proven as safe and efficacious in preventing influenza and its complications. It is recommended especially to the elderly (>65) and other people at high risk for influenza complications and death such as patients with chronic medical conditions. Healthcare workers, who are considered to transmit infection to patients, or reciprocally, can be infected during encounters with patients, are also strongly advised to regularly receive vaccines. In order to improve influenza vaccination rates in countries in Europe, health authorities set targets for vaccination coverage by 2010. Despite the substantial efforts done, coverage rates maintain low. It is considered that informed decisions, based on existing evidence, are likely to cope with improving vaccination rates. Intention of this manuscript is to address some important issues connected with influenza vaccination which, to be able to aid the evidence, need to be further clearified. To support the debate, the author presented some dubious facts from the own practice experiences. As a long-lasting solution to improve vaccination practice strategies, strengthening programed vaccination is suggested. This concept would include implementation of nationwide vaccination protocols and their harmonization by the common logistics, and standardized data collection based on installation of E-health records. This strategy would allow data comparison among different populations. As based on this debate, improving influenza vaccination rates is not likely to be easy to perform straightforward task, but a multifaceted, long term challenge.
Highlights
Each season influenza epidemics impose extra costs on health care systems and economies of the countries throughout the world [1,2]
It is considered that informed decisions, based on existing evidence, are likely to cope with improving vaccination rates
Annual vaccination is recommended to the elderly and other people at increased risk for influenza complications, such as patients with chronic medical conditions regardless of age, residents of long-term care facilities, pregnant women and small children 6 months to 5 years old [7]
Summary
Each season influenza epidemics impose extra costs on health care systems and economies of the countries throughout the world [1,2]. Annual vaccination is recommended to the elderly and other people at increased risk for influenza complications, such as patients with chronic medical conditions regardless of age, residents of long-term care facilities, pregnant women and small children 6 months to 5 years old [7]. Indirectly, when a substantial part of population attain specific immunity, the chain of infection transmission can be disrupted (herd immunity), resulting in a limitation of epidemic growth [8] For this reason, initiatives are emerging, in some countries, to give vaccines to healthy pre-school and school children, because they are the most responsible for rapid infection spreading, through the contacts in the local communities [9]. The question addressed here is, why is it, despite much efforts done, so hardly achieving aim?
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