Dear CEO Letter Regarding Requirements for Offering Influenza Vaccination to Parents and Anticipated Caregivers of NICU Patients and to Each Admitted Person Age Sixty-Five Years or Older - July 11, 2011
- Dear CEO Letter Regarding Requirements for Offering Influenza Vaccination to Parents and Anticipated Caregivers of NICU Patients and to Each Admitted Person Age Sixty-Five Years or Older - July 11, 2011 is available in Portable Document Format (PDF, 52KB, 2pg.)
July 11, 2011
Dear Chief Executive Officer:
The purpose of this letter is to remind you of the requirements for offering influenza vaccination to parents and anticipated caregivers of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients and to each admitted person age sixty-five years or older.
For the upcoming season, the composition of the influenza vaccine will be the same as last year: 1) A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus, 2) A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus, and 3) B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus. An individual will need only one vaccine (for children less than nine years old two doses may be necessary), to be protected against influenza. Despite the composition of the influenza vaccine being the same as that for the 2010-2011 season, individuals should still be vaccinated to ensure optimal protection for the duration of this season.
Requirement in NICUs. On July 31, 2009, Governor Paterson signed into law an amendment to Public Health Law (PHL) section 2805-h that requires all general hospitals with NICUs to offer influenza vaccination annually, between September 1 and April 1, to all persons who are parents or are reasonably anticipated to be caregivers in the households of newborns being treated in NICUs. This law became effective November 25, 2009.
The amendments to PHL section 2805-h support the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on influenza. Influenza vaccination is not licensed for children aged less than six months and antiviral medications are not licensed for use in infants less than 12 months of age. Therefore, protection of young infants, who have hospitalization rates similar to those observed among the elderly, depends on vaccination of infants' close contacts. By providing parents and caregivers of these high-risk infants with the opportunity to receive influenza vaccination while in NICUs, those infants receive some protection against influenza disease.
Requirement for admitted persons age sixty-five years or older. PHL 2805-h also contains a requirement that the administrative officer, or other person in charge of each general hospital, must offer influenza vaccine to each admitted person age 65 years or older. The requirement, effective since 2006, applies annually between September 1 and April 1.
Please also note that a higher dose formulation of an inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine (Fluzone High-Dose, manufactured by sanofi pasteur, licensed by FDA on December 23, 2009) for use in people age 65 years and older is available. Fluzone High-Dose contains four times the amount of influenza antigen compared to other inactivated seasonal influenza vaccines. The ACIP has not expressed a preference for Fluzone High-Dose or any other licensed inactivated influenza vaccine for use in people age 65 and older.
Planning for the fall flu season. We strongly encourage you to continue in your vaccination efforts against influenza and plan for the 2011-2012 season. You should review your influenza vaccine purchasing options and assess the needs of your practice or organization. For more information on distributors and influenza vaccine availability, please visit the following websites:
- New York State Vaccines for Children Program
- Influenza Vaccine Distributor Information
- Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System (IVATS)
Hospitals must take steps to adopt and implement both policies as required under law. Should you need further assistance, please call the NYSDOH Bureau of Immunization at 518-473-4437.
Sincerely,
Guthrie S. Birkhead, M.D., M.P.H.
Deputy Commissioner
Office of Public Health
