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MedImmune supports the implementation of school-based influenza vaccination to help protect school-aged children from seasonal influenza, protect the public health by reducing the spread of influenza in the community and improve pandemic preparedness by establishing school vaccination centers.

Background

Children have the highest rates of influenza infection and school-aged children are the major vectors for influenza transmission that spread the virus to adults and the elderly in the community, causing substantial socioeconomic impact.1 For these reasons, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual seasonal influenza vaccination for all eligible persons in the U.S., including eligible children aged 6 months through 18 years of age.2 Despite this, vaccination rates for school-aged children 5 to 17 years of age remain low, ranging from 24.6% (healthy) to 34.7% (high-risk) in the 2008-09 influenza season.2

To increase seasonal influenza vaccination rates, stakeholders have explored new immunization strategies including the routine vaccination of school-aged children.3 Previous research has demonstrated that increased vaccination of children could modulate the spread of influenza in the community. Mass vaccination programs in schools have demonstrated both direct benefits to immunized children and indirect benefits to the community including reduced school absenteeism due to influenza.4,5,6

An example of the benefits of influenza vaccination in school settings is:

• The Knox County (Tennessee) Health Department demonstrated program feasibility in a large public school system by vaccinating 24,198 students (56% among elementary schools, 45% among middle schools, and 30% among high schools) and 3,626 school staff from October to December 2005.7 Similarly, three Minnesota county health departments vaccinated 41% of all school children (K-12) in 2006. The study reported that school-based immunization programs offer the potential to achieve higher vaccination coverage of school children at modest cost.8

Past research supports the feasibility and benefits of conducting school-based influenza vaccination programs in terms of increasing vaccination in children, reducing school absenteeism and protecting the community from influenza. To help ensure pandemic preparedness and to establish an infrastructure for seasonal influenza vaccination of children, states should adopt school-based influenza vaccination programs to protect the public health.

1 Neuzil KM, et.al. Illness among schoolchildren during influenza season: effect on school absenteeism, parental absenteeism from work, and secondary illness in families. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002;156:986-991.
2 At http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr59e0729a1.htm?s_cid=rr59e0729a1_w. August 10, 2010.
3 Longini IM and Halloran ME. Strategy for distribution of influenza vaccine to high-risk groups and children. Am J Epidemiol 2005;161:303-306.
4 Principi N, et al. Socioeconomic impact of influenza on healthy children and their families. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2003:22:S207-10.
5 Wiggs-Stayer KS, et al. The impact of mass immunization on school attendance. J School Nursing. 2006;22:219-222.
6 Davis MM, King JC, Moag L, et. al. Countywide school-based influenza immunization: direct and indirect impact on student absenteeism. Pediatrics 2008;122:e260-e265.
7 Carpenter LR, Lott J, Lawson BM, et. al. Mass distribution of free, intranasally administered influenza vaccine in a public school system. Pediatrics 2007;120:e172-e178
8 Hull HF, Frauendienst RS, Gundersen ML, et. al. School-based influenza immunization. Vaccine 2008;26:4312-4313.

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