Tangelo County Health Department Adult Influenza Immunization Program

Each year about 48,000 adults die from vaccine preventable diseases in the United States. The purpose of immunization programs is to prevent illness and death from diseases such as influenza, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, and rubella. The public health objectives established by Healthy People 2010 include a goal of achieving 90% immunization coverage of those over 65 for annual influenza vaccination and one-time pneumococcal disease vaccination. Unfortunately, current levels fall far short of this goal. For example, annual influenza vaccination rates for the elderly are only in the 60-70 percent range.