U.S. TO RECEIVE MORE THAN 100 MILLION DOSES OF FLU VACCINE

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that influenza vaccine manufacturers are expecting to produce and distribute more than 100 million doses of flu vaccines in the United States between now and early January 2007. Manufacturers have already begun to ship this season's influenza vaccine, with almost of all of the vaccine expected to be shipped and distributed in October and November. The manufacturers and major distributors are implementing policies designed to provide some influenza vaccine by the end of October to all providers who ordered it.

"It's often very difficult to predict how much vaccine will be distributed and when, or exactly when influenza vaccine will be available for those who provide it. However, if the manufacturers' estimates hold, more people than ever before will be able to protect themselves and their loved ones from influenza this year," said Julie Gerberding, CDC director.

Influenza vaccine manufacturers report that they expect to produce at least 17 million more doses of influenza vaccine than has ever been distributed in the past (previous high was 83.1 million doses in 2003) and about 19 million more doses than were distributed last year (81.2 million).