The vaccine is going directly to healthcare providers who serve groups considered at high risk for suffering complications from the flu.

Taking into account information on geographic locations of high-priority risk groups, as well as information on providers already scheduled to receive vaccine for the high-risk populations, CDC decided to distribute this round of influenza vaccine to the following groups:

• Veterans Administration

• Long-term Care Facilities/Acute Care Hospitals

• State Public Health Officials

• Vaccines for Children program

• Private Providers Who Care for Young Children

The U.S. government has been the target of strong criticism for failing to address the possibility of a vaccine shortage prior to the onset of the flu season. Presidential candidate John Kerry, in particular, has hammered the Bush administration, suggesting that the failure to provide sufficient flu vaccine suggests the government is poorly equipped to protect against a bioterror attack.

Some critics say that the additional supply from Aventis Pasteur, one of the two primary providers of the flu vaccine, is too little too late.

To ensure that providers who ordered vaccine from Chiron -- the other main provider, which precipitated the problem due to closure of a manufacturing center in the UK -- get some of the vaccine they need for priority populations, the CDC and Aventis are taking the following actions:

• filling remaining Vaccines For Children (VFC) orders to Aventis Pasteur;

• contacting states that ordered vaccine from Chiron distributors to begin re-directing their orders to Aventis Pasteur;

• collaborating with Chiron distributors to identify providers to high-priority populations including long-term care facilities, hospitals, and primary care and specialty physicians; and

• working with the Visiting Nurses Association of America to ensure high-priority populations it serves are immunized as recommended.

On October 5, 2004, CDC announced priority groups for vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine for the 2004-2005 influenza season:

• all children aged 6-23 months;

• adults aged 65 years and older;

• persons aged 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions;

• all women who will be pregnant during influenza season;

• residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities;

• children 6 months-18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy;

• healthcare workers with direct patient care, and

• out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged less than 6 months.

Influenza season typically peaks in the United States between December and March. Because each season is unpredictable, it’s not known how severe the 2004-2005 season might be.

Although vaccination is the best protection against influenza, everyone can take practical steps to help prevent spread of flu, says CDC, such as avoiding close contact with people who are sick and keeping your distance from others if you’re sick; when possible, staying home from work, school, and errands when you are sick; covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and cleaning your hands often.