Adults age 65 years and older are at greater risk of severe complications from influenza than younger adults, due both to their increased likelihood of having chronic conditions and to the decline of their immune systems with aging.3
Seasonal influenza vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza4, but vaccination coverage among older adults in the U.S. has stagnated, and in some years has declined significantly over the previous season’s rate.5, 6 In the 2018–2019 season, only 68.1% of adults age 65 and older were vaccinated against the flu.5
As a health care provider, your strong, confident recommendation for flu vaccine is a very powerful and persuasive tool in determining if your patients are vaccinated.7
Ensure that your high-risk older patients are vaccinated against flu by using the information, tools, and resources provided by 65+ FLU DEFENSE.
1. Past Seasons Influenza Estimated Disease Burden. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/past-seasons.html. Accessed October 2020. 2. Chung JR, Rolfes MA, Flannery B, et al., Effects of Influenza Vaccination in the United States During the 2018–2019 Influenza Season, Clinical Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciz1244. Accessed October 2020. 3. Call to Action: Reinvigorating Influenza Prevention in U.S. Adults Age 65 Years and Older. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. http://www.nfid.org/flu-older-adults. Accessed October 2020. 4. Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm. Accessed October 2020. 5. Flu Vaccination Coverage, United States. 2018–19 Influenza Season. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/coverage-1819estimates.htm. Accessed October 2020. 6. Flu Vaccination Coverage, United States, Prior Flu Seasons. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/earlier-seasons.htm. Accessed October 2020. 7. Villacorta R, Sood N. Determinants of Healthcare Provider Recommendations For Influenza Vaccinations. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2015;2:355-370. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.04.017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4721324/. Accessed October 2020.