More people are opting to get the flu shot this year, but medical professionals are still actively urging people to go out and get vaccinated to avoid a repeat of last year's early and sever flu season.
The 2012 to 2013 flu season saw an increase of 5.1 percentage points in vaccinations in children between the ages of six months and 17 years since the 2011 season, a National Foundation for Infectious Diseases press release reported via PR Newswire. In 2012 and 2013, 56.6 percent of U.S. children and adolescent got the preventative shots.
The number of adults who got the shot also went up, but not as dramatically as their younger counterparts. Vaccinations in adults went up by 2.7 percentage points leaving them with a protection rate of 41.5 percent. Overall, 45 percent of the U.S. population got their annual flu shot.
Vaccination rates are much higher in pregnant women than they were several years ago, but the numbers seem to have leveled off at around 50 percent.
The number of African American (36 percent) and Hispanic (45 percent) men who got the shots has gone up over the past few years, but not as much as their Caucasian peers.
Vaccinations were most frequent in people over the age of 65 (66 percent), and 70 percent of children four and under were vaccinated.
"Despite substantial progress, we can do even more to make our country healthier through prevention. Flu vaccination should represent a simple investment we make year in and year out to maximize the gift of health," Howard K. Koh, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in the news release.
About 135 million influenza vaccines will be available this year in doctor's offices across the country, there will also be more options of the preventative treatment than ever before.
There will be a more concentrated dose for the over 65 crowd, and egg-free version, a smaller needle option, and even a needle-free nasal spray for children.
