CDC: More need to be vaccinated for flu

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta want more U.S. adults and children to get immunized against the seasonal flu.

During the 2005-2006 season, one in five children ages 6 months to 23 months were fully vaccinated. Influenza vaccine coverage varied substantially among states, but no state had more than 40 percent of children fully vaccinated, the CDC said.

A CDC report indicates that seasonal influenza vaccination coverage in all states during the 2005-2006 influenza season was below the national 60 percent target for persons ages 18 to 64 with high-risk conditions, and the 90 percent target for those over age 65.

"We need to re-think the influenza immunization season and encourage vaccination throughout the fall and winter for anyone wishing to be protected," Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the CDC, said in a statement. "More doses are expected this year than in previous seasons and there is ample time to be immunized."