2007-08 Flu Season Recap and 2008-09 Season Preview

Six manufacturers produced 140 million doses of influenza vaccine for the United States for the 2007-08 influenza season. A record 113 million doses were distributed,10 million more doses than during the 2006-07 flu season.

In California, 10.9 million doses were shipped during the 2007-08 season. Influenza vaccine distribution in California has increased steadily over the past three years.

Total number of flu vaccine doses shipped to California

(Includes all doses—public/VFC and private.)

The availability of vaccine supplies in California followed national patterns. Vaccine was first available in mid-September.  Supplies increased sharply through the end of November. Initial supplies of certain formulations, such as doses for children less than three years old and doses of live intranasal vaccine, could not meet demand, increasing the challenge of protecting children against influenza. 

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) purchased 561,850 doses of influenza vaccine from two manufacturers for the 2007-08 season, including 16,900 doses of preservative-free vaccine, which were prioritized for pregnant women.  In addition, 101,500 doses of influenza vaccine for VFC-eligible children and 50,000 doses of live intranasal influenza vaccine (FluMist®) were purchased with federal funds. Eighteen counties administered the live vaccine at school-based clinics staffed by the local health department or school nurses.

According to local health departments, 84% of California’s publicly-purchased influenza vaccine was administered during the 2007-08 season. However, only 58% of the doses of live vaccine were used. The age distribution of the publicly-purchased doses administered is presented in the Figure below; 39% of vaccine was administered to persons 60 and older.

The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is making major changes to the recommendations for influenza vaccination for the 2008-09 season. The ACIP will recommend annual vaccination for all children ages 6 months through 18 years. Annual vaccination of all children age 6 months through 59 months should continue. Annual vaccination of all children ages 5 through 18 years should begin in 2008 for the 2008-2009 influenza season. Annual vaccination of all children ages 6 months through 18 years should begin no later than the 2009-2010 influenza season.  The ACIP realizes that this expansion of immunization will be challenging to implement.  All three strains in the 2008-09 influenza vaccine will be new. They include A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like, and B/Florida/4/2006-like antigens.