title: Annual universal influenza vaccination: ready or not?
abstract: Influenza causes annual worldwide epidemics of respiratory disease. Currently, the United States and many other countries recommend influenza vaccination for persons who are at high risk for influenza-related complications. This commentary explores the potential benefits of a policy advocating universal annual influenza vaccination and outlines obstacles that need to be overcome to make such a recommendation feasible. The 5-year experience of a free influenza vaccination program for everyone > or =6 months of age in the Canadian province of Ontario is reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. jabrams@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Jon S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Neuzil
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Tamblyn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014611:Vaccination / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines