title: Universal influenza vaccination recommendations: Local health department perspectives.
abstract: Modern vaccines-including influenza vaccine-provide a uniquely powerful and cost-effective way to prevent deadly communicable diseases from spreading. Unfortunately, since the last decade of the 20th century, influenza vaccine supply and distribution problems have steadily grown worse in the United States. Supply disruptions such as delayed deliveries or shortages have occurred in 5 of the last 6 years, hindering efforts to combat a disease that every year kills about 36,000 people and sends more than 200,000 to hospital. Universal influenza recommendations may be one means of resolving our nation's recurring influenza vaccine supply and distribution crises.
authors.affiliation: City of Milwaukee Health Department, and Center Scientist, Center for Urban Population Health, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Geoffrey R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ransom
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011634:Public Health
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines