Associated Press
Thursday, October 5, 2006

At least half of the young children who are supposed to get annual flu shots have not been doing so. Among children with chronic medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease, about two-thirds are missing out on the vaccine.

With medical experts expanding the age range of children who should be vaccinated, the percentages could go up. Health officials now say children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years should get flu shots; previously, the range was 6 months to 2 years.

Health officials with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases said Americans do not take flu seriously enough. This year, a vaccine shortage will not be a credible excuse for not getting a shot. More than 100 million vaccine doses will be available -- the most ever.

"Vaccine that remains in the refrigerator cannot prevent influenza," said William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University.

The stakes are high when it comes to the flu, said officials who attended a news conference designed to raise awareness of the illness. The flu kills about 36,000 people in the United States each year and puts more than 200,000 people in the hospital. Most of the deaths and serious cases are among the elderly.

Still, for children between the ages of 2 and 5, there is a higher rate of clinic and emergency-room visits because of flu-related illness than for any other disease.

Officials also said that vaccinating siblings is important for newborns. Although children under the age of 6 months should not get vaccinated, it is important that their siblings and parents do, officials said.

The estimate of about 50 percent getting a shot was based on a telephone survey conducted by state health departments. Another survey, which requires verification from a child's health-care provider, indicates that the percentage of children getting a flu shot could be even lower -- about 33 percent.