As the Nation's prevention agency, CDC's overriding public health concern is to prevent hospitalizations and deaths, especially among high risk persons. Influenza causes, on average, approximately 20,000 excess deaths and approximately 110,000 hospitalizations per year. For each 1 million persons over the age of 65 vaccinated in an average influenza season, approximately 900 deaths and 1,300 hospitalizations are prevented. The 2000-2001 vaccine delay was severe and unusual. In other seasons, the system for providing and distributing influenza vaccine has successfully met vast flu vaccine needs and in recent years has provided between 70-80 million vaccine doses annually.
Influenza vaccine is produced and primarily distributed in the private sector.
Although ACIP issues recommendations regarding influenza vaccination, including which groups of individuals are at highest risk for developing complications from influenza, and optimal time frames for administering vaccine, influenza vaccine is produced entirely by the private sector, and the distribution of the vaccine is primarily through the private sector. Because of this, if vaccine manufacturers have delayed production, or there is a shortage, of flu vaccine, CDC can take steps to minimize the effects, but cannot solve the entire problem. Each year, manufacturers produce a new influenza vaccine, based upon the selection of viral strains that are most likely to circulate for the upcoming influenza season. This is done to produce the most effective vaccine possible each year. A relatively short window exists between the time when viral strains are selected and the time when manufacturers develop and produce vaccine for each season.