The Overview of Government-Funded Influenza Vaccination Program during Influenza Season 2011-2012

Chia-Lin Lee¹, Ting-Yi Chen¹, Yi-Chien Chih¹, Shu-Mei Chou¹, Chang-Hsun Chen², Chin-Hui Yang¹

2013 Vol.29 NO.20

Correspondence Author： Chia-Lin Lee

Abstract：

       Influenza vaccination is publicly known as the most effective method for preventing influenza infection. To protect the public’s health, the Department of Health started to launch influenza vaccination programs since 1998, focusing on high-risk groups. In the government-funded influenza vaccination program for influenza season 2011-2012, trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (TIV) were used in six high-risk groups, including the elders aged more than 65 years, children aged six months through six years and elementary school students from grade one through four, residents and staff in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, healthcare and public health personnel, poultry or livestock farmers and animal health inspectors, and people with catastrophic illness. The influenza vaccine uptake rates for each high-risk group were obtained via the Influenza Vaccine Information System (IVIS). During the influenza season 2011-2012, 2,582,859 doses of influenza vaccines were inoculated. The coverage rates for each group were as follows: the elders aged more than 65 years: 40.2%; pre-school children aged above six months with at least one dose: 31.9%, with complete vaccination: 28.7%, with partial vaccination: 7.2%; elementary school students from grade one through four : 72.2%; high-risk groups above fifth grades in elementary schools and aged less than 65 years : 41.2%. Overall, the coverage rates for each high-risk group increased significantly comparing with the 2010-2011 influenza season. The coverage rate increased by 4% for adult groups, by 2.7% for elementary school children, and by 6.2% for infants and toddlers aged less than six years. The coverage rate increased the most for infants and toddlers comparing with those for other groups, but was still lower than the rates in the past, leaving room for improvement.